New tire can active studs with the press of a button

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In the midst one of the most grueling winters in recent years, many motorists likely wish that at the push of a button they could give their tires extra grip, without having to swap tires, chains or otherwise make repeated visits to Discount Tire.
Now, thanks to a Finnish company, that may soon be possible.

On the 80th anniversary of the winter tire, Nokian has revealed its latest concept — a "non-studded" winter tire with retractable studs. The driver merely presses a button within the car to raise metal pins in the tread, turning ordinary winter tires into ones capable of handling Mother Nature at her worst. Or even Finland.

Utilizing a Nokian studded Hakkapeliitta tire, the company modified the hard metal pin in the middle of the stud to retract in and out, leaving the main body to remain in place. And while it remains a concept, Nokian says it's the future of winter tires — a future that might not be too far away.