A pneumatic or air-filled tire consists of an inner core which is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Normally, a reinforced steel belted tread or other kind of materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact part with the road.
Since the pressure of the air in the tire is more than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The air pressure inside the tire provides resistance against forces which try 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 which had wooden wheels, you know how huge of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Pneumatic tires also come with drawbacks. High-performance situations or highly dangerous applications for example, these tires can suffer a puncture and this would lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds can lead to a dangerous car crash. Military planners must take into account 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 evidently don't suffer from these type of problems and thus, can be more suitable in some applications.
The pneumatic tire might have problems as well with the variation in tire performance and air pressure. The lower pressure in a tire can increase the traction and the comfort level. This is because of the fact that tires flatten a little and more tread is touching the road. The pressure of the air inside of the tire works to maintain the "up and down" stiffness as well as maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire. Therefore, less air pressure enables the tires' sidewalls to flex. Unfortunately, this leads to poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other problems with air pressure. Customers are notoriously unreliable when it comes to maintaining proper air pressure. Tires which have improper air pressure could lead to dangerous situations. It is essential to note that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, that could be responsible for changing the internal pressure of the tire. It is really vital to take into account the type of settings you would be needing your machinery to operate in so that you can regularly check the tires and keep the machinery as safe as possible.