Nokian Tyres’ new quick and hassle-free SnapSkan tyre scanning service aims to improve traffic safety for millions of people
Press release 13th December 2016
Nokian Tyres together with the tyre and car service chain Vianor introduces SnapSkan, a groundbreaking new technology, which measures the depth of tyre treads on the go and informs it to the driver. SnapSkan is based on top-class 3D scanning technology and serves motorists on their everyday routes. The free and fast service makes measuring tyre treads one less thing to worry about for car owners, and will improve the safety of millions of road users in the future.
Nokian Tyres is announcing a world first with its groundbreaking SnapSkan service, which knows the condition of the tyres even better than the driver. SnapSkan is an entirely new way of measuring the tread depth and safety of tyres quickly and efficiently thanks to 3D scanning technology. The automated drive-over scanner reads the tyres while a camera identifies the vehicle based on the registration number. When the scan is complete, the driver can opt to receive a personal tyre report by text message or email free of charge, regardless of which manufacturer's tyres are fitted to the car. No separate equipment need to be installed in the vehicle itself.
The SnapSkan service will appear along drivers' everyday routes in locations such as car parks. The service will be provided in collaboration with the Vianor tyre and car service chain, from where the user can easily request a quote for new safe tyres. 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' tyres
Studies show that about 25 % of tyre related accidents occur because the tyre’s tread depth is below the minimum level[1]. Premium tyres and tyre’s tread depth will significantly affect driving safety, like breaking distance and aquaplaning resistance characteristics. Driving with tyres that are in good condition gives the driver and other road-users more time to react and room for manoeuvre. The new SnapSkan technology makes it quick and easy to monitor tyre safety, as the information is sent to the vehicle owner electronically. This ensures that the owner knows when they should react to the condition of the tyres.
"Too many people are unaware of the condition of their tyres, and the threshold for replacing tyres seems to be high. We want to use this new technology to raise drivers' awareness of the condition of their tyres by making it as easy to access as possible," says Ville Nikkola, Head of Vianor's Retail Business Area.
Nokian Tyres is digitalising the tyre sector – "There is a big change ahead "
Nokian Tyres aims not only to develop safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly tyres, but also to create new services related to tyres. The vision for SnapSkan is to promote road safety for millions of people around the world in a quick and hassle-free way.
"There is a big change ahead for our industry in the near future. Until now, the tyre sector has lagged clearly behind other industries in terms of digitalisation. It is high time to harness technology to serve motorists with regard to their tyres. The sector needs a bold forerunner," envisions Nokian Tyres' President and CEO, Ari Lehtoranta.
"It is 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 tyre, and now we are launching the first service to report to motorists on tyre safety directly by email or text message," Lehtoranta says.
"It is great that digital innovations are hitting the market and making drivers' lives easier while improving safety. The Automobile and Touring Club of Finland considers it important that new services like this are developed. This technology from Nokian Tyres also enables freedom of choice and cost-efficiency – it does not require equipment to be installed in cars at great expense," stated Jukka Tolvanen, Communications Manager for the Automobile and Touring Club of Finland, during a panel discussion held in conjunction with the announcement of the SnapSkan service.
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.
Further information: www.nokiantyres.com/snapskan
Video: Snapskan digital tyre scanning service: https://youtu.be/zMkBRnf-Zzo
Media images: www.nokiantyres.com/snapskan-photos
Ville Nikkola, Business Area Manager (Retail), Vianor Holding Oy, tel: +358 10 401 7596, ville.nikkola@vianor.com
SnapSkan in brief
SnapSkan condition scanning is a new, hassle-free way of measuring the tread depth of your tyres. After the scan, you can order a tyre report for your car using your licence plate. You can receive the results of the scan by sending your registration number by text message free of charge. You will receive the results of the scan by text message. You can also obtain the results online in Finnish at http://www.snapskan.fi/en. The first SnapSkan scanning point will be in the Q-Park Iso Erottaja underground car park in Helsinki, Finland. Your tyres will be scanned automatically when you drive in. The scanning point is on the roadway before the entry barrier.
The master of extreme conditions
Nokian Tyres is the world’s northernmost tyre manufacturer. The company promotes and facilitates safe driving under demanding conditions. It supplies innovative tyres for passenger cars, trucks and heavy machinery mainly in areas where extreme conditions such as snow, forests and seasonal variations place heavy demands on tyre performance.
Vianor – Probably the World's Most Comfortable Pit Stop
Vianor is a global tyre and car service chain that consists of equity owned and entrepreneurial outlets. The Nokian Tyres owned Vianor offers tyres and auto service easily, quickly and reliably covering all customer groups, products and car services. Vianor is the biggest chain of tyre stores in the Nordic countries, and comprises of over 1,470 outlets in 26 countries. The name Vianor comes from Latin words Via Nor that mean "Northern road".
[1] Study on some safety-related aspects of tyre use, December 18 2014, by Sven Jansen, Antoine Schmeitz, Sander Maas, Carmen Rodarius and Lars Akkermans
Nokian Tyres is the world’s northernmost tyre 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 1,494 outlets in 26 countries. In 2015 Nokian Tyres had approximately 4,400 employees and net sales of approximately 1,4 billion euros. Nokian Tyres’ share is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. Further information: www.nokiantyres.com
