Hankook concept tires receive awards

Seoul – Concept tires developed by Hankook Tire Co. Ltd in collaboration with Pforzheim University have been honoured as recipients of both a 2015 Red Dot Design Award and 2015 IDEA (International Design Excellence Award).

Hankook reported its Boostrac concept tire was designated as the ‘best of the best’ at the 2015 Red Dot Award, making it the first tire company in the world to win in the category of mobility. In addition, the Boostrac, Alpike and hyBlade concept tires all received awards at IDEA 2015.

These concept tires are produced by Hankook Tire and the Pforzheim University under the theme of ‘a great challenge for a great change’ of 2014 Hankook Tire Design Innovation project.

Hankook said this project aimed to develop future-oriented concept tires that were capable of performing in extreme driving conditions, the kind of environments that can be caused by climate change due to the global warming.

Students from the University’s schools of design, engineering and business teamed up with Hankook Tire to create the latest cutting edge concept tires, the tire manufacturer said, including the Boostrac, Alpike and hyBlade.

The awards will be presented during a ceremony taking place 25 Sept. at the Reddot Design Museum in Singapore.

“We are immensely proud to be recognized by the world’s top three design awards including Red Dot and IDEA for two straight years,” said Seung Hwa Suh, vice chairman and CEO of Hankook Tire.

“Hankook Tire will continue to improve its top-of-the-line technology and design by investing in R&D. We believe that the advances we make will further enhance our competitiveness as a leading tire company.”

The Boostrac has a variable tread block structure that can expand when required, which leads to improved traction. This tire is especially useful on steep inclines, Hankook said, and in rough, desert-like conditions.

The Alpike is designed with unique tire circumference expansion capabilities, raising its ground clearance for areas affected by heavy snow. Finally, the hyBlade is equipped with waterwheel treads and side spikes, which Hankook said allow for efficient water draining and enhance the tire’s steering force in heavy rain conditions.