Wheels were banded by metal before tires came into use. Copper bands were used on chariot wheels in the Middle East as early as 2000 B.C. Strips of metal were widely used on wheels in medieval and early modern times.
The Scottish engineer Robert Thomson patented the first pneumatic tire for carriages in 1845. Thirty-three years later, the Scottish inventor John Dunlop patented a pneumatic tire for automobiles and bicycles and created a company for the manufacture of such tires. Early automobiles used solid rubber tires or narrow pneumatic tires similar to inner-tube or single-tube bicycle tires. As automobiles grew heavier and as vehicle size and speed increased, tire manufacturers developed better and more durable tires. After World War II, synthetic rubber and synthetic fibers were used for most tire construction. In the following years, the tubeless automobile tire, puncture-sealing tires, and radial-ply tires were introduced for American trucks, cars, planes, and other vehicles. Throughout the last 150 years of tire innovation, tire technicians have been called upon to test and monitor the quality and durability of these tires.
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