In 1961, Goodyear (the UK branch, I assume, from the Ford Capri in the picture) unveiled their latest brilliant idea: tires that glow from the inside out, thanks to bulbs mounted in the rims and being made of a special formula of semi-translucent synthetic rubber. I wonder how long those bulbs lasted after a bit of spirited driving and pot holes.

As this woman demonstrates here, there were all sorts of benefits, such as adjusting one’s garter at night. And the tires were to be available in a variety of colors too. Maybe 1961 was a bit early for this, but I can really see this being a hot thing among a certain genre of modern-day car customizers. Where does the aftermarket tire business go, since it’s a bit hard to mount wheels bigger than 30″. But to have them glow and pulsate, and lit by rugged LEDs; now that’s an idea whose time has finally come.