In 1888, Benz developed the first gasoline automobile, which included metal tires with air-filled rubber. The pneumatic tire had its public debut in the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris motor race. In 1905, the tread tire was introduced. The tread was created to keep the tire carcass from coming into direct touch with the road. The tire friction coefficient was also improved.

The development of tire materials began in the 1920s. The DuPont Company industrialized synthetic rubber in 1931, allowing tire production to expand after being dependant on natural rubber earlier. Synthetic rubber marked a watershed moment in tire development. In 1923, the balloon tire was invented, which was a low-pressure tire having a larger area of contact with the road pavement.

Tubeless tires were designed in 1947 as a means of reducing the high cost of oil. Tubeless tires contributed to the vehicle's weight reduction, resulting in considerable fuel cost reductions.

The first winter tires, often known as snow tires, were launched in Finland in 1934 when Nokian created tire tracks built to withstand severe weather.

In the 1950s, the radial tire was developed. It's a tire with cords and carcass plies placed vertically in the direction of travel. In comparison to other tires, radial tires proved to be more fuel-efficient. They ensured that the tread was in constant touch with the road pavement. Even at high speeds, this provided superb driving stability.

In 1979, the run-flat tire was invented. It permitted automobiles to continue driving with a ruptured tire for up to 50 miles at 50 mph. Later on, other varieties of tires were developed, including environmentally friendly tires and the Ultra-High-Performance tire. UHP tires are larger than 16 inches in diameter and provide better handling, braking, and drivability. Tire manufacturers are currently developing a non-pneumatic tire made of a single material that can be recycled or reused.