The main task of R&D is to support the company’s status as the manufacturer of the world’s best winter and forestry tyres. The key R&D principle has remained the same for 80 years: to develop tyres for consumers driving in northern conditions, who demand safety and durability from their tyres in all circumstances.
Tires are surprisingly technical products, consisting of many components and subject to exacting requirements. They are active safety factors in vehicles, providing the only contact with the ground. Finns are, by nature, familiar with snow, ice, slush and fickle winter weather.
If we look at driving 20 years from now, we will see revolutionary, smart traffic technology, self-driving electric cars and winter tyres made from bio-based materials.
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 was created by over one hundred professionals. The new tyre’s journey from design to production varied and lasted more than four years. The aim was set high from the beginning: to build a safe tyre with stable handling and extreme grip on ice. As the first tyre manufacturer in the world, we have developed two different studs: one for the centre of the tread and another for its edges.
Testing at the extremes is at the core of activities and it requires unique skill. We need to try new things and test our limits. Only this will allow us to develop safer, more durable tyres in the future.
With revolutionary Nokian Hakkapeliitta concept tire and its unique stud technology the inventor of the winter tire gives a hint of the things to come in the future. With a press of a button, the driver can bring out the studs to improve the grip of the tire. When the studs are not needed, they can be retracted back into the tire.