Hankook Tire & Technology opened its new proving ground in South Korea, complete with 13 testing tracks. The tiremaker says it will serve as the research and development facility "for Hankook's most advanced products" of the future.
Known as Hankook Technoring, the company says the facility is the largest proving ground in Asia. It spans 1.26 million square meters — or 125 soccer fields — and includes the longest test track in Asia.
The testing tracks are designed to accommodate vehicles of all types, including electrics, supercars, trucks and buses. The facility also has a control tower, office buildings, workshops, fueling stations and electric vehicle charging stations. From the control tower, the company can manage testing progress "through integrated monitoring systems to consider various test surface and climate conditions."
“Tires, being the only media in a vehicle that makes contact with the road surface, is the key for maximizing vehicle performance, providing safety, satisfying fuel efficiency, and driving comfort. This is why we at Hankook recognize the need for various testing grounds to ensure best product quality in all conditions,” says Hyunbum Cho, chairman and CEO of Hankook & Co.
Hankook Technoring joins the company's network of R&D facilities. Hankook expects its facilities to serve as part of the company's infrastructure and accelerate its digital transformation, with Technoring creating synergy with Hankook's existing facilities, the Hankook Technoplex and the Hankook Technodome, the company's central R&D facility.
