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Writer's pictureRicha Shetty

Smart Tires Will Be Widely Accepted in Next Five Years: Nokian

Updated: May 17, 2021

Artificial intelligence can react more quickly than people, and it is also being introduced into tires. Consumers are particularly interested in tires that can adapt to different weather conditions by utilizing sensor technology. According to a survey commissioned by Nokian Tyres, 34% of European drivers hope that the black and round rubber parts on their cars will also automatically react to the weather in the future.

A bed with sensors can monitor your quality of sleep, and smart clothing can cool down or warm up its users when necessary. Similarily a smart tire could also monitor both itself and its surroundings faster and in more ways than the driver. Read further What exactly does a Winter Tire Mean?

Smart Tires Will Be Widely Accepted in Next Five Years: Nokian

Nokian Tyres plc says “smart" tires that can relay data to drivers will be common on electric vehicles within the next five years.

  • “Sensors connected to tires will be one of the things that play an important role when machines observe driving conditions instead of humans,” say Nokian officials.  

  • The automatization of traffic is advancing, which also sets new requirements for car tires. When a car is not human-controlled, it must be able to individually observe driving conditions via sensors installed on tires,

  • For example. “The old and familiar safety characteristics, such as grip on ice and aquaplaning resistance, will be joined by technology that produces real-time data.”


Introduction of More Advanced Technology:

In a recently released statement from Nokian, Mika Penttila, the company’s head of digital technology, said that “if a car does not have an active driver to ensure that tires are safe to use, safety needs to be measured in another way. When the information that is received from tires is combined with weather data, for example, the vehicle’s on-board information system can form a picture of the prevailing driving conditions and adjust the driving accordingly. Also Read: Top 10 Winter Tips To Prepare Your Trucks or Vehicles in the US, Canada & UK

“Tire sensors can also monitor tire wear, inflation pressure, and the temperature inside the tire. An increase in the inside temperature may be an early indication of tire damage, for example, allowing it to be addressed before it causes a dangerous situation on the road.” 

Technology may also benefit consumers at the point of tire purchase, says Penttila, as buying “a new tire set may become more effortless and unnoticeable than before. Future refrigerators can order new milk when you are running out and the same can happen with worn tires. As tires wear down, sensors can notify the tire shop, which can then deliver a new set to you or even fit them on your vehicle” after first alerting drivers. Here are the top Tips to Reduce Tire Expenses to Manage Your Fleet Effectively


The Tire Sensors will Instruct Drivers Timely:

“The tire can relay the wear data to the onboard information system, which notifies the driver that the tires can be safely used for another three months. At the same time, the system instructs them to contact the nearest tire retailer and provides their contact information.

“This is similar to how current cars can notify the driver that they are running out of fuel and provide navigation guidance to the nearest service station,” according to Penttila.

“In the future, tires will still continue to wear down and require replacement. However, purchasing a new tire set may become more effortless and unnoticeable than before,” said Mika Penttilä, Head of Digital Technology for Nokian Tyres.  Read also Honda Pays $85 Million as Settlement for Faulty Airbags in Cars sold in the US


The tire can relay the wear data to the onboard information system, which notifies the driver that the tires can be safely used for another three months, the company said. At the same time, the system instructs them to contact the nearest tire retailer and provides their contact information. This would be similar to how current cars can notify the driver that they are running out of fuel and provide navigation guidance to the nearest service station. 

  • Preventive maintenance in this regard will become especially important as the popularity of shared-use vehicles increases – and especially once autonomous vehicles become commonplace.

  • Even though the technology is still developing, different sensors and smart tire solutions are already available. TPMS tire pressure sensors are already well-known to consumers, but more advanced technology has so far been reserved for professional use.

  • For example, Nokian Tyres Intuitu is a concept for agriculture and contracting tires that combine tires with embedded sensors and a mobile app for data collection. Read also UK Leadership on Autonomous Vehicles held back by Infrastructure: KPMG


European drivers’ tire expectations According to the Study:

  • Be 44% Safer (all countries): Germany 34%, Italy 51%, France 30%, Czech Republic 50%, Poland 56%

  • Utilize sensor technology to adapt to different conditions 34% (all countries): Germany 30%, Italy 40%, France 35%, Czech Republic 28%, Poland 35%

  • Eliminate the need for seasonal tire change 33% (all countries): Germany 35%, Italy 30%, France 40%, Czech Republic 28%, Poland 34%

  • Wear out slower than they do currently 25% (all countries): Germany 27%, Italy 19%, France 21%, Czech Republic 33%, Poland 25%

  • Roll lightly, save fuel and, thereby, extend the range of my electric vehicle 23% (all countries): Germany 28%, Italy 23%, France 19%, Czech Republic 24%, Poland 21%

  • Be puncture-proof, they would repair themselves 22% (all countries): Germany 19%, Italy 20%, France 17%, Czech Republic 25%, Poland 31%. Further, explore: Oxford outlines its Plan to become UK’s first Zero- Vehicle Emission City

Data based on 4,100 respondents in Nokian Tyres’ survey realized during December 2018 and January 2019. The survey was conducted online by the YouGov market research company.


Contact us for a quick 14 day demo of our Traxroot Fleet Maintenance Software to understand how our software can take better care of your tires and give you timely alerts in any emergency. Visit our FAQ page for some frequently asked questions on fleet management.




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