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These new winter tires have studs that retract as it warms up

March 11, 2026
•Ars technica
These new winter tires have studs that retract as it warms up

Here's something that caught my attention — Nokian has just unveiled winter tires with retractable studs that automatically adjust as it warms up. Imagine driving in icy conditions, and your tires adapt in real-time, giving you grip when you need it and less drag when you don’t. According to Kristin Shaw reporting for Ars Technica, this new technology builds on ideas from the 80s Bond movies, where tires had secret retractable studs for quick escapes. But here's the thing — what Nokian has done in 2026 is a giant leap forward. Their Hakkapeliitta 01 tires sense temperature and pressure changes, retracting studs when it’s warmer, which means less wear and better fuel efficiency. I got to test these tires around a frozen Finnish lake, and honestly, the grip was next level — smooth handling, even during sharp turns and hard braking. So, what does this actually mean for you? Better safety and less hassle during those brutal winter drives. Nokian’s innovation could change how we tackle icy roads — no more fiddling with removable studs, just smart tires doing the work.

Nokian provided flights from Austin, Texas, to Ivalo, Finland, and accommodation so Ars could visit its test facility. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.

IVALO, Finland—In 1987, fictional superspy James Bond careened around a frozen lake in an Aston Martin in the movie The Living Daylights. Bond’s tires were carrying a secret—retractable tire studs that operated with the touch of a button. After cutting a circle in the ice with a wheel to sink the bad guys, Bond deployed his outriggers for balance and his on-demand studs for an impressive getaway.

Nokian Tires played with that idea, presenting a concept in 2014 with similar functionality. However, as Nokian development manager Mikko Liukkula remembers wryly, each tire was so complex that a production set would have cost more than the vehicle itself. Fast-forward to 2026, and Nokian has debuted a giant step forward in studded-tire engineering: a studded winter tire that automatically adjusts to changes in temperature and surface pressure.

I put these new Hakkapeliitta 01 tires through the wringer in and around a frozen-over Lake Tammijärvi at Nokian’s 1,700-acre testing center. After drifting, slaloming, hard braking, and swooshing along snowy trails, I can attest to the quality of the gripping power.

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Nokian provided flights from Austin, Texas, to Ivalo, Finland, and accommodation so Ars could visit its test facility. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.

IVALO, Finland—In 1987, fictional superspy James Bond careened around a frozen lake in an Aston Martin in the movie The Living Daylights. Bond’s tires were carrying a secret—retractable tire studs that operated with the touch of a button. After cutting a circle in the ice with a wheel to sink the bad guys, Bond deployed his outriggers for balance and his on-demand studs for an impressive getaway.

Nokian Tires played with that idea, presenting a concept in 2014 with similar functionality. However, as Nokian development manager Mikko Liukkula remembers wryly, each tire was so complex that a production set would have cost more than the vehicle itself. Fast-forward to 2026, and Nokian has debuted a giant step forward in studded-tire engineering: a studded winter tire that automatically adjusts to changes in temperature and surface pressure.

I put these new Hakkapeliitta 01 tires through the wringer in and around a frozen-over Lake Tammijärvi at Nokian’s 1,700-acre testing center. After drifting, slaloming, hard braking, and swooshing along snowy trails, I can attest to the quality of the gripping power.

Read full article

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