pneumatic tire. Tweel is useful for: "vehicles that don't have suspensions like lawn mowers – those low speed specialty vehicles that don't have suspensions. The comfort is quite good and better than inflated tyres" said Terry K. Gettys, Executive Vice-President, Research and Development, and member of the Group Executive Committee at French tire company Michelin. Military testing has indicated that the Tweel deflects mine blasts away from the vehicle better than standard tires and that the Tweel remains mobile even with several spokes damaged or missing. Although it is acknowledged that the initial prototype automotive Tweel tires did demonstrate flaws with regard to noise and high speed vibration and produced 5 percent more friction compared to a radial tire, these early issues were resolved in subsequent prototypes and, in 2013, automotive Tweel prototype products had been shown to be well behaved and reliable. As a demonstration of Tweel viability and reliability, three highway driven vehicles (a 2012 Honda CR-Z, a resto-modded 1955 Morris Minor Traveller, and an Aluma brand trailer hauling a Polaris ATV which was also equipped with Tweel tires) successfully participated in the entire 2013 Hot Rod Power Tour long distance road trip event in June 2013. Applications The iBOT mobility device and Segway's Concept Centaur were both introduced with Tweel airless tires. Michelin also has additional projects for the Tweel concept on small construction equipment, such as skid-steer loaders, for which it seems well-suited. NASA has contracted Michelin to develop a wheel for the next generation lunar rover based on the Tweel concept. This has resulted in the Lunar Rover Initiative AB Scarab wheels. In October 2012, Michelin North America Inc. began commercial sales of the Michelin 12N16.5 X Tweel for skid-steer loaders used in landscaping, construction, contracting, refuse/recycling and agricultural industries. Awards On 8 November 2005, Popular Science magazine named Michelin's Tweel as the "Best of What's New" honor in the Automotive Technology category. The next day, Michelin NA was awarded a Hall of Fame Award by InnoVision for continued leadership in innovation as evidenced by the development of the Tweel. TIME Magazine named the Tweel as "One of the Most Amazing Inventions of 2005" a few short days later on 14 November 2005. The Intermat innovation commission in Paris (the International Exhibition of Equipment, Machinery and Techniques for the Construction and Building Materials Industry) awarded the Tweel with a 2006 Gold Medal for Innovation. This