The future of smart tires is quietly taking shape. The Finnish brand Nokian, though not as well-known as Michelin or Pirelli, is imagining a future where tires can automatically adapt to driving conditions, expected to be realized by 2035.
Nokian states that there are already tires on the market equipped with sensors that share information like temperature and pressure via Bluetooth. Teimo Suini, Vice President of Innovation and Development at Nokian, acknowledges that smart tires were not a “mature concept” five years ago, but today’s technology is robust enough to allow sensors to operate throughout the tire's life cycle with low energy consumption.
This aligns with another area of development, which is researching tires that can adapt to different driving conditions. Specifically, these tires can change their design or tread depth to enhance grip, handling, and overall performance.
Imagine driving from a highway to a rugged parking lot; ideally, the tire design should improve fuel efficiency, handling, and comfort throughout the journey. Upon reaching the parking area, the tire tread could adjust to enhance grip in muddy conditions. While this sounds like a far-fetched fantasy, Nokian states, “This line of research could reflect in consumer products within the next decade.” However, it remains unclear how this would be practically achieved.
Nonetheless, Suini noted that “the ability to adjust tread patterns would significantly improve the tire's handling characteristics.” He believes that by 2035, Nokian will have a production tire that can respond to changes in driving conditions.
Suini suggested that the hype around airless tires might be exaggerated. He explained, “There are still many technical challenges that tire manufacturers must solve before airless tires become viable for use,” particularly that they need to withstand high speeds and temperatures.
Suini believes this makes it unlikely for airless tires to be used in private vehicles, at least in the short term. However, he thinks airless tires could be useful in slower-moving vehicles such as forklifts and excavators.
