The digital transformation of heavy tires makes a huge difference for everyday driving as well as fleet management. Nokian Tyres introduced the Intuitu smart tires in Agritechnica 2019 fair in Hannover last November. Now Intuitu will be available for selected agricultural and contracting tractor tires, with sales starting from Finland.
When Nokian Tyres released its smart tire solution, Nokian Tyres Intuitu, the audience immediately praised it for its plug & play simplicity: all you need is sensor-equipped smart tires and an app on your smartphone to get your tire pressure and temperature data on your phone.
“Fleet managers in particular were excited about the prospect of having vital tire information and alarms available with a minimal need for configuration,” says Matthew Crocker, Product Manager at Nokian Tyres. “Premium tractor tires are an investment you want to look after.”
The digital advantage
In its current phase, Nokian Tyres Intuitu consists of sensor-equipped smart tires and a mobile application. All you have to do is order the smart tires and download the app to get going. The smart tires are registered in the Intuitu application, which shows the tire position and pressure as well as temperature data for all vehicles with smart tires. In the app, the fleet owner can invite as many drivers and vehicles as needed. This means the driver can stay up to date and get alerts on the currently used vehicle, while the fleet manager can look at the big picture and get the most out of tires and machinery. Also, the machine manufacturers will benefit from a plug & play smart tire solution and the increased customer commitment it brings. What’s more, the Intuitu registration extends the tire warranty.
“Knowing how your tires are doing helps you save on fuel costs and improves working safety,” says Crocker. “But the digital dimension of the tires has the potential to be much more, and we have many great ideas in the pipeline!”
Intuitu at work
The Intuitu smart tire solution has been comprehensively tested and has already become an important part of the test users daily work. Finnish property maintenance contractor Jari Suontausta has been using Intuitu in his fleet of three tractors. His ways of working have been changed with the digital dimension of tires.
“Nokian Tyres Intuitu both makes the tracking of the tire condition easier and provides financial savings,” says Suontausta. “Mornings are effortless now that I can check that everything is okay with just one look at my phone.”
Suontausta is also impressed by how Nokian Tyres Intuitu has helped him to react quickly if there is a problem with a tire. “There are sometimes a lot of nails and metal pieces at work sites, which is why tire punctures aren’t uncommon,” he explains. “Tears are easy and inexpensive to fix if they are spotted early, but a very expensive tire can be ruined if the problem isn’t noticed in time.”
Available now, ready for the future
Nokian Tyres Intuitu smart tire sales are starting gradually, first in Finland with the four flagship Nokian Tyres tractor tires – Nokian Ground King, Nokian TRI 2, Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI and Nokian Tractor King. The factory will start shipping orders in September, and the Intuitu application will be available for download at the same time. Ordering will take place through the Vianor tire dealer chain in the first phase, and other dealers will follow. The tires are delivered within the normal delivery time.
“Finland is our home turf and customers are eager to try out new technologies,” says Manu Salmi, SVP, Managing Director at Nokian Heavy Tyres. “And we have a roadmap for expanding the availability to other countries as well.”
Salmi is notably excited about entering to a whole new digital world. “After years of testing and development, it is a great feeling to make these work-changing digital possibilities available for our users,” says Salmi. “Our aim is to add peace of mind by making work safer, more efficient and sustainable, and Intuitu does just that.”
While the current Intuitu features will already change the way tires are used, there is more to come. For example, tread depth measurement and integrating Nokian Tyres Intuitu with the machine’s own operating software are in development.
“This is a big milestone, maybe the biggest, but the development work continues as we speak,” Salmi states. “We are just scratching the surface of the digital realm, and our ambition will not let us stop there!”
