Kumho Tires will participate in the ‘2023 Korea Future Mobility Expo,’ taking place from October 19 to 21 at the Exco in Daegu Metropolitan City, showcasing advanced tire products that incorporate cutting-edge technology.
As the 7th edition of the ‘2023 Korea Future Mobility Expo,’ this event is the largest regional exhibition convention in Korea, hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Daegu Metropolitan City. It covers all aspects of the mobility industry, including eco-friendly vehicles (electric and hydrogen), electrified components such as motors, batteries, and chargers, as well as autonomous driving and urban air mobility (UAM).
Kumho Tires plans to unveil intelligent tires such as the ‘i-Tire’ and airless tires like ‘i-Flex’ at this exhibition.
The ‘i-Tire’ is characterized by its ability to ensure safer driving and more efficient vehicle management based on data collected from complex sensors installed inside the tire. This future-oriented tire product can diagnose road conditions and collects various information, including tire wear status, pressure, temperature, and driving history.
The sensor technology currently being tested by Kumho Tires for intelligent tires is being developed as a solution linked to vehicle wireless communication services used by logistics and transport companies, enabling drivers to easily check and manage tire conditions in real-time through a mobile app.
The airless tire ‘i-Flex’ is one of the results of a long-term research project initiated by Kumho Tires since 2010, which has been supported by governmental programs. It lacks air inside, allowing for safety from puncture-related accidents, and does not require regular maintenance of optimal air pressure, ensuring maintained maneuverability at all times.
The airless tire to be showcased at this exhibition is a 17-inch concept tire developed to improve existing airless tires, tailored for unmanned vehicles operating on off-road surfaces. Kumho Tires believes that the potential for utilizing airless tires is high in small vehicles, electric vehicles, and autonomous vehicles like robo-taxis, due to significant benefits in durability and reduced maintenance needs. Therefore, it is focusing on related research and development.
Since 2004, Kumho Tires has been building partnerships with domestic and international mobility companies to secure intelligent tire technology. In 2020, it collaborated with UbiFirst Daewon, a domestic vehicle control service company, and in 2021 with the American smart tire technology startup, Revo Technologies, dedicating efforts to developing tire technology and vehicle management solutions utilizing real-time data. In the same year, they developed ‘Track Solutions,’ a product capable of AI coaching through tire data analysis, and conducted pilot testing.
Since April of this year, Kumho Tires has been the leading research and development organization for a governmental project focusing on the development of smart tire technology with built-in composite sensors for 1Hz-level safety and functionality enhancements of future vehicles, pushing forward practical projects with eight institutions in the mobility sector, thereby strengthening its unique technological competitiveness in the field of intelligent tires in Korea.
Contact: Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr