CompActive is a young technology company based in Neustadt an der Weinstraße that specializes in the development and production of actuators, or more precisely, innovative bending actuators. The patented technology is designed to make it possible to economically utilize the special performance profile of shape memory alloys while keeping system complexity low – for example, in the automotive industry.

The automotive industry is faced with the challenge of reducing the air resistance of vehicle wheels in order to lower energy consumption, while also ensuring that the brakes are cooled sufficiently to guarantee full performance and safety even under heavy use.

The Active Aero Wheel from CompActive and Borbet is designed to solve this apparent contradiction by switching between an open and a closed wheel design as required. This innovative wheel concept measurably reduces drag while still ensuring that the brakes are cooled as needed – especially when they are needed. The developers promise a particularly robust and low-maintenance technology for modern vehicles thanks to the purely material-based solution, which works without electronics or moving parts.

Video