Coughing John Ericsson statue aims to persuade Gothenburg drivers to switch to studless winter tires

The idea behind the coughing statue, part of a larger campaign, is to raise awareness of the effect studded tires have on air quality.

“If we managed to halve the use of studded tires in Gothenburg, it would make a big difference to the particle levels in the air,” says Marcus Jahnke, head of department at the Environmental Administration, in a press release.

The statue of John Ericsson (1803–1889), which stands at the intersection of Kungsportsavenyn and Allégatan/Parkgatan, is scheduled to cough for the rest of the week.