Nokian, the Finnish tire company, traces its history back to 1898, when its predecessor, Suomen Gummitehdas Oy, which translates to Finnish Rubber Factory, was founded. Its next major achievement came in 1934 with the development of the Kelirengas, or weather tire, the first tire developed for winter use. In the 1930s, plows were not normally used to clear snowy roads in Finland. The Kelirengas tire was made for trucks and buses that traveled these snowy roads, eliminating the need for tire chains. The tread provided good grip and was also self-cleaning.

Fast forward to 2026, and Nokian offers a complete selection of winter tires for all types of vehicles, featuring many of the features that make a snow tire good. Some of these tires are studded and can be used where it is legal to do so, while others are not studded and can be used under any winter conditions. But now, Nokian has released the Hakkapeliitta 01 tire, which can extend its studs when the temperature drops and retract the studs into the tire when the temperature warms up. It’s reminiscent of the James Bond film “The Living Daylights.”

The secret to this tire magic is a new rubber compound. It is temperature sensitive and called the “adaptive base.” This compound is placed underneath the studs, where it can expand or contract based on the outside temperature. When the road surface freezes, the adaptive base allows the studs to extend from the tread; when the road warms up, it pulls the studs into the tire.

The next step for these stud-extending-and-retracting tires, from Nokian’s perspective, is to promote their benefits to regulators worldwide. The overall objective is to get regulators to understand the benefits of these tires, so they can be legalized in all jurisdictions that currently prohibit studded tires.

Currently, as far as the U.S. is concerned, studded tires are allowed year-round only in Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Kentucky, North Carolina, Vermont, and New Hampshire. The states of Hawaii, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Michigan outlaw studs at all times, while the remaining states have conditional or seasonal allowances for studded tires, which might lead you to consider the difference between winter and all-season tires and which are right for you.

These Nokian snow tires that can extend and retract their studs sound like an ideal solution for drivers who must travel on roads that fluctuate between frozen and above-freezing. If Nokian can get these tires accepted by regulators worldwide, who currently ban studded tires due to the added road wear they create, they will have created a brand-new market for their innovative tires. Ultimately, it’s the price that Nokian’s unique tires will sell for that will determine whether these studded tires are worth buying. Stay tuned.