A pneumatic or air-filled tire consists of an inner core which is sealed airtight and filled with pressurized air. Typically, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, provides the contact part with the road and seals this inner core.
Since the air pressure within the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The pressure of the air in the tire gives resistance against forces that attempt to deform the tire. When the tire hits bumps in the road, this gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect. If you have experienced taking a ride in an old-fashioned carriage that had wooden wheels, you understand exactly how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Surely, there are several drawbacks to pneumatic tires. Like for example in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires can suffer a puncture and this would result in a complete failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can result in a serious car crash. Military planners must consider tires getting blown out by explosion shrapnel or gunfire. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped within a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires obviously don't suffer from these kind of problems and thus, might be more suitable in certain applications.
The pneumatic tire may have issues as well with the variation in tire performance and air pressure. The lower pressure in a tire could increase the comfort level and the traction. This is due to the fact that tires flatten a little and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The air pressure inside of the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Therefore, reduced air pressure enables the sidewalls of the tires to flex. This results in poor handling unfortunately. Within an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Consumers are notoriously undependable when it comes to maintaining proper air pressure. Tires which have incorrect air pressure could lead to unsafe situations. It is essential to keep in mind that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, that can be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is really vital to consider the kind of environments you would be needing your machinery to function in so that you could regularly inspect the tires and keep the machine as safe as possible.