Woven metal tires are old. And nitinol is also old (it was not developed for the rover, a wiki check would show as much).

But the combination is new. I imagine the conversation went 'hey I am working on chainmail tires' 'areny those heavy' 'well. We need them light, strong and elastic, and you only get two...' ' hol up, there is an option, you heard of nitinol?'

And thus, cool history.