Movie Tech: You Saw This Wheel Technology In James Bond, Now See The Real Thing
Motorists have very few options when it comes to driving on snow and ice. Using chains can make it easier to drive on ice, but they are difficult to manage, & create a very rough, noisy ride when driving on asphalt. The problem is, most winter drivers encounter both types of road conditions, often on the same trip. That’s why the Swiss company Nokian has created a snow tire with retractable studs just like the ones seen in James Bond film “Living Daylights”
The spiked tires allowed Bond to get traction on an frozen lake & escape from Russian troops that were sliding every which way.
Even thought the scene was a bit campy, the concept was a very plausible solution to icy driving conditions, & it was only a matter of time before someone created it in real life.
The idea is that drivers could activate the studs on all four wheels from within the vehicle when approaching icy patches simply by pressing a button. When conditions improved, they could withdraw them again.
Nokian plans to release the retractable spiked tires and have them in production by next winter. No word yet on whether they are working on lasers built into the hubcaps.
If you want to see them in action, watch the videos below.
*SIDE NOTE: The Russian troops blocking the road in Yugoslavia in Living Daylights looks eerily similar to the occupation happening in the Ukraine right now. Just an observation 😉
