In recent years, the pressure on carmakers to reduce the unsprung weight of vehicles in order to improve fuel-efficiency/range has led to a number of novel alternatives to the very useful but sometimes cumbersome full-size spare. These include: the donut – or smaller-than-optimal temporary spare; the sealant and compressor pack – which only works for a limited range of incidents such as relatively small punctures; and, of course, run-flat tyres, which are inherently designed to get motorists to safety – even when punctured. Now it has emerged that in the Autumn of 2024, Ford was granted a patent for something different. Something that could even result in a spare tyre renaissance.