Hankook technology wins in Journey to Automation Awards

Premium tire manufacturer Hankook has won one of the most prestigious awards in the "Highly Appreciated" category in the "Premium Tire Manufacturer" category at the Journey to Automation Awards (J2A Awards). The J2A Awards, sponsored and sponsored by the European Rubber Journal (ERJ), one of the world's leading automotive publications, recognizes tire manufacturers' contributions to automation and digital transformation. Hankook's Virtual Compound Design (VCD) technology was highly acclaimed at the opening ceremony. Using this innovative technology, using artificial intelligence algorithms, it is possible to predict the characteristics of the tire compound and find the optimal combination.

The company's Virtual Compound Design (VCD) technology, developed in 2015, uses algorithms that predict compound performance and identify optimal material combinations through AI analysis. Based on the data gathered by Hankook during the development of rubber compounds, the understanding of the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) has improved significantly.

Going forward, Hankook plans to improve its AI-powered Virtual Compound Design (VCD) technology through a partnership with renowned South Korean University of Technology KAIST. Hankook is working closely with the Korea Advanced Technology Institute (KAIST) to improve the accuracy of AI-powered research using automated machine learning (AutoML). By integrating the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud platform into all workflows, Hankook can not only store VCD data, but also process and analyze it in the most efficient way. It is planned to complete the creation of a technology for virtual modeling of tire mixtures by 2023.

“It is a tremendous honor for us to receive recognition and invaluable experience for the challenge that we take to reshape the future of mobility and create limitless opportunities through digital transformation. We believe that our commitment to pushing this new endeavor will not only change the way tires are manufactured in the future, but also set a new paradigm for the entire automotive industry, ”said Bon Hee Ku, Senior Vice President and CTO, Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd.

In addition to Virtual Compound Design (VCD) technology, Hankook has developed a series of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. These include the Automatic Inspection Process using AI methods, digital sensors, and the Hankook Condition Monitoring System Plus (CMS +). Hankook's developments are in line with the company's ambition to lead digital transformation in the automotive industry.