Nokian Tyres launch ground-breaking tire safety tech

COLCHESTER, Vt., Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nokian Tyres together with tire and service chain Vianor launched SnapSkan, a ground-breaking new tire monitoring service that measures tread depth quickly and efficiently using 3D scanning technology. The drive-over scanners are designed to be installed along drivers' everyday routes – such as parking lots and service centers – and do not require separate equipment to be installed on the vehicle.

"Too many people are unaware of the condition of their tires, and the threshold for replacing tires seems to be high. We want to use this new technology to raise drivers' awareness of the condition of their tires by making it as easy to access as possible," said Ville Nikkola, head of Vianor's Retail Business Area.

SnapSkan is an entirely new tread depth measuring and safety tool for tires. The automated drive-over scanner reads the tires while a camera identifies the vehicle based on its registration number. When the scan is complete, the driver can opt to receive a personal tire report by text message or email free of charge, regardless of which manufacturer's tires are fitted to the car. The technical solution was developed in collaboration with Finnish technology partners Futurice and Affecto. The entire service is enabled by unique 3D scanning technology patented by British Sigmavision.

SnapSkan raises awareness of the condition of drivers' tires

Studies show that about 25 percent of tire related accidents occur because the tread depth is below the minimum level¹. Driving with tires in good working condition allows drivers and other road-users to react safely and more quickly. SnapSkan takes the hassle out of tire maintenance, as the information is automatically sent to the vehicle owner electronically. This ensures drivers know when they should service or replace their tires before it's too late. 

Nokian Tyres is digitalizing the tire sector

Nokian Tyres aims to lead the charge in moving the tire industry forward by creating innovative, consumer-friendly services that take the stress out of tire care. The vision of SnapSkan is to promote road safety with millions of people around the world in a quick hassle-free way.

"There is a big change ahead for our industry in the near future. Until now, the tire sector has lagged clearly behind other industries in terms of digitalization. It is high time to harness technology to serve motorists with regard to their tires. The sector needs a bold forerunner," said Nokian Tyres' President and CEO, Ari Lehtoranta. "It's our job to make our roads and environment safer. Our company's roots stretch back to 1898, and we have been at the forefront since then, providing a range of products and services related to road-users' safety. We launched the world's first winter tire and now we are launching the first service to report to motorists on tire safety directly by email or text message."

The first SnapSkan scanning point will be taken into use along the access road to the Q-Park Iso Erottaja underground car park in Helsinki, Finland. In the near future, scanning points will also be rolled out elsewhere in Finland, and later they can be found in all Vianor outlets in Finland. The service will also be introduced in several other countries in forthcoming years.

About Nokian Tyres
Nokian Tyres is the world's northernmost tire manufacturer. The company promotes and facilitates safe driving in demanding conditions. It supplies innovative tyres for cars, trucks and special heavy machinery mainly in areas with special challenges on tyre performance: snow, forests and harsh driving conditions in different seasons. Nokian Tyres' product development is consistently aiming for sustainable solutions for safety and the environment, taking into account the whole life cycle of the tyre. A part of the Nokian Tyres group, the tyre chain Vianor has 1,475 outlets in 26 countries. In 2015, Nokian Tyres had approximately 4,400 employees and net sales of approximately $2.1 billion.

Further information:

Website: www.nokiantyres.com/snapskan   
Video: https://youtu.be/zMkBRnf-Zzo 
Media images: www.nokiantyres.com/snapskan-photos 

www.nokiantires.com 

Nokian Tyres, Inc. / Nokian Tyres Canada Inc.
P.O. Box 623
Essex Junction, VT 05453
1-800-565-2525

Email: northamerica@nokiantyres.com 
Twitter:https://twitter.com/Nokian_Tyres_NA 
YouTube:www.youtube.com/NokianTires 
Facebook:www.facebook.com/NokianTyresNA  
Google Plus:https://plus.google.com/116952652773953497604/posts 

¹Study on some safety-related aspects of tire use, December 18 2014, by Sven Jansen, Antoine Schmeitz, Sander Maas, Carmen Rodarius and Lars Akkermans

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nokian-tyres-launch-ground-breaking-tire-safety-tech-300377629.html

SOURCE Nokian Tyres