Hankook Tire Co. Ltd. reports three of its concept tires were honored at the 2015 Red Dot Design Award and the 2015 IDEA (International Design Excellence Award).
The tires were created in collaboration with students from Pforzheim University’s Schools of Design, Engineering and Business.
Hankook Tire’s Boostrac concept tire was designated as the “Best of the Best” at the 2015 Red Dot Award. Hankook was the first tire company to win in the category of Mobility.
Hankook’s Boostrac, Alpike and hyBlade concept tires also received awards at IDEA 2015. They were produced by Hankook and the Pforzheim University students in coordination with the theme of “A Great Challenge for a Great Change” of 2014 Hankook Tire Design Innovation project. The challenge was 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.
* Boostrac has a variable tread block structure that can expand when required, leading to improved traction. This tire is especially useful on steep inclines and in rough, desert-like conditions, says Hankook.
* Alpike is designed with tire circumference expansion capabilities, raising its ground clearance for areas affected by heavy snow.
* hyBlade is equipped with waterwheel treads and side spikes which allow for efficient water draining and enhance the tire’s steering force in heavy rain conditions.
“We are immensely proud to be recognized by the world’s top three design awards including Red Dot and IDEA for two straight years,” says 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 award ceremony will take place on September 25 at the Reddot Design Museum in Singapore.
