Nokian Tyres will celebrate the 90^th anniversary of its innovation the - winter tyre. The company states it invented the world’s first winter tyre in 1934, and 90 years later it has continued to be the pioneer of safe winter driving. The winter tyre continues to be reinvented to meet the demands of modern drivers and changing conditions.

The company invented the world’s first winter tyre to tackle the harsh Finnish winter. Prior to the invention there were no tyres suitable for winter driving: tyres had a smooth surface and required snow chains on top of them for grip in winter. The winter tyre on the other hand featured a rough tread pattern for grip and traction, and the tread pattern was also designed open enough to clean itself of snow while driving, enabling a safe journey on winter roads.

The world’s first winter tyre Kelirengas, weather tyre, was mostly designed for trucks, and two years later, in 1936, a further improved design specifically for passenger cars, Lumi-Hakkapeliitta, Snow-Hakkapeliitta, were introduced. To meet the demands of slippery roads, caused by the increased number of vehicles and ploughing, Lumi-Hakkapeliitta featured small suction cups to prevent slipping on icy surfaces. Nearly 90-years later, the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta is one of the world’s best-known winter tyre brands.

In the early 1960s, studs were introduced into the design, creating yet another innovation for safe winter driving.

Nokian Tyres states that winter tyre continue to be one of the most important pieces of safety equipment for winter driving is as relevant today as it was 90 years ago. The modern winter tyre features a mix of about 100 different raw materials, roughly three times more than the winter tyre in the 1930’s, including both renewable and recycled raw materials.

Teemu Soini, VP – Innovations and Development, Nokian Tyres said, “The winter tyre taught us that we can ensure safety by keeping ahead of the challenges. As the world keeps on changing, so do the challenges. In these 90 years, the weather conditions have changed, new materials have been innovated, and product development has taken leaps towards creating more and more sustainable tyres.” 

“The two main areas of our innovation and development are safety and sustainability, and especially in winter tyres safety is a priority,” added Soini.

The modern winter tyre relies on decades of product development and innovation work. Continuous testing in real winter conditions for example in Nokian Tyres’ test centre in Finnish Lapland makes sure that the tyres from the inventor of the winter tyre will be able to safeguard drivers in all conditions.

Marko Saari, VP – Product Management, Nokian Tyres said, “Different driving conditions call for different types of winter tyres, as winter conditions vary greatly depending on the area and its climate: in Central Europe, winter has more rain, whereas in Scandinavia roads are covered in snow or ice. That’s why Nokian Tyres tailors its winter tyres according to the conditions of the area they are meant to be driven in.”

In addition to the varying winter driving conditions, development in vehicle technology affects the development of winter tyres.

“For example, tyres for EVs need to carry heavier loads because of the extra weight of the battery and instantly respond to the high-torque power. Our starting point is that all our products make driving safe no matter what car you drive. Testing has remained a key to ensure tyre performance to meet the needs of modern drivers,” says Saari.

At present, Nokian Tyres manufactures winter tyres for the Nordic market and for North America in its factory in Finland, and tyres for Central Europe will be manufactured in its factory in Romania.

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Pirelli has entered into a strategic agreement with Swedish technology firm Univrses to integrate artificial intelligence-based computer vision systems into its Cyber Tyre platform. As part of the deal, Pirelli has acquired a 30 percent stake in Univrses, with an option to increase that share to a majority holding. The collaboration will embed Univrses’ 3DAI technologies into Pirelli’s existing Cyber Tyre solutions, creating a unified system aimed at producing safer and higher performing vehicles.

The combined technology has potential applications in advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous driving. It also generates timely, actionable data for road management, helping authorities make better decisions and deploy resources more efficiently. This could lead to fewer road accidents and saved lives. The system uses onboard cameras and tyres to collect feedback on road conditions. Pirelli’s Cyber Tyre, the first integrated hardware and software system of its kind, gathers data from tyre sensors, processes it with proprietary algorithms and communicates in real time with vehicle electronics and the cloud.

Univrses originally developed its technology to help cars understand their surroundings, but it has since been adapted to turn vehicles into AI-powered road monitoring agents. The Swedish company’s 3DAI Engine provides autonomous vehicles with perception capabilities including 3D positioning, mapping and spatial deep learning. Its 3DAI system digitises roadside infrastructure using data from vehicle-mounted sensors like cameras.

A pilot project is already active in Italy. In 2025, Pirelli and the Puglia Region launched a road network monitoring system to create an updated map of infrastructure conditions. The system analyses data from tyres via the Cyber Tyre platform alongside visual data from cameras interpreted by Univrses’ technology.

Andrea Casaluci, CEO, Pirelli, said, “The agreement with Univrses further enhances our Cyber Tyre™ platform, thanks to advanced AI‑based artificial vision technologies. The collaboration between Pirelli and Univrses will make a significant contribution to the ongoing transformation of cars into true software‑defined vehicles.”

Jonathan Selbie, CEO, Univrses, said, “Continuous monitoring and data are becoming the new foundation for infrastructure asset management, and Univrses technology is able to provide powerful analytical capabilities based on reliable and frequently updated data. In this context, we are pleased to welcome Pirelli as an investor and to take our partnership to the next level: we will join forces to deliver increasingly advanced services and products.”

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ZC Rubber is preparing a major European-focused showcase at THE TIRE COLOGNE, scheduled to run from 9 to 11 June 2026. The tyre manufacturer will occupy Booth C050g in Hall 8.1, highlighting its WESTLAKE and GOODRIDE brands with a clear emphasis on products tailored specifically for regional market demands.

The display will blend imminent and future innovations. Products destined for a European launch in the latter half of 2026 will appear alongside the company’s current truck and bus radial lineup. Selected previews of developments planned for 2027 will also be on view. A featured attraction is the Westlake Sport RS2, a drift-proven ultra-high-performance tyre praised for its grip, precision and 180 treadwear rating. A renewed rubber compound, developed through work with the Red Bull Driftbrothers, now delivers steadier traction under severe driving conditions. Appearing at the stand, Red Bull Driftbrothers driver and engineer Elias Hountondji will illustrate how motorsport data directly refines ZC Rubber’s product engineering.

Additional new passenger car radial models for Europe in the second half of 2026 include the Westlake ZuperFlex Z-137, Goodride RideMax G-147, the all-season Westlake Zuper4S Z-411 and the off-road focused Westlake Terra Legend SL399 and Goodride Mud Legend SL388. On the truck and bus side, already available tyres such as the Westlake WSL2, Westlake WDL2+ and Goodride S2, D3 and D4 will be exhibited, covering steer and drive axle needs for long-haul and heavy-duty transport.

A sneak peek at 2027 offerings will feature the Westlake Z-301 commercial van tyre, Goodride All Season G-721, Goodride SnowComfort G-518 and new TBR models including the Westlake WTL2, Westlake WTR OEM and Goodride M2. ZC Rubber’s team will remain on-site throughout the event, welcoming visitors and partners to the booth for meetings and professional discussions.

Leo Liao, General Manager, ZC Rubber Europe, said, “This year’s showcase reflects a much broader and more complete portfolio for Europe. From UHP and all-season tyres to all-terrain, mud-terrain and TBR solutions, we are bringing new developments across almost every major segment. This reflects how seriously we take the European market: we are listening to local needs, investing in the right products and building a portfolio that better matches the needs of our European partners.”

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Magna Tyres has launched the MA801 TR, a new solid tyre engineered for extreme operating conditions in recycling facilities and heavy industrial settings. Designed to maximise equipment uptime while supporting high load capacities, the tyre is built to deliver dependable performance in harsh environments. The official debut of the MA801 TR will take place at IFAT 2026 in Munich, scheduled from 4 to 7 May 2026.

The new model is intended for compact wheel loaders and telescopic handlers, featuring a flat-free solid construction. Its extra-deep non‑directional tread is reinforced by a triangular structural design, which enhances traction and stability on surfaces littered with sharp debris. Available in sizes 13.00‑24 and 14.00‑24, the tyre prioritises puncture resistance and reduced maintenance needs.

Thanks to its robust architecture and deep tread profile, the MA801 TR offers an extended service life and consistent performance across demanding work cycles. By eliminating the risk of flats, Magna Tyres positions the tyre as a reliable solution for recycling and industrial operations where continuous heavy loads are standard.

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has secured validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a prominent corporate climate-action organisation, for its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets set for 2035. This endorsement confirms that the company’s goals are scientifically aligned with the standards established under the Paris Agreement. The validated targets are measured relative to the company’s 2024 emission levels.

Under the approved framework, Yokohama Rubber aims for a 63.0 percent reduction in combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which cover direct emissions from its business activities as well as indirect emissions from purchased energy. Additionally, the company commits to a 37.5 percent cut in Scope 3 emissions, specifically targeting indirect supply chain emissions from purchased products and services, along with fuel and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2. To achieve these reductions, Yokohama Rubber has been expanding solar power generation and renewable energy electricity at its global plants, while also disclosing indirect emissions from product distribution, use and disposal since 2013.

The company obtained SBTi validation to accelerate supply-chain-wide emission cuts in response to intensifying climate challenges. Operating under its sustainability management slogan, ‘Caring for the Future’, Yokohama Rubber continues to create shared value by tackling social issues directly through its business operations.

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