Hankook Tire & Technology will expand the supply of its electric-vehicle-specific tires for Baidu's autonomous robotaxis in China to 10 cities.
On the 22nd, Hankook Tire announced that it has expanded its cooperation areas with Baidu's robotaxi platform, 'Apollo Go,' from the existing four cities to 10 cities. Hankook Tire will supply its electric-vehicle-specific mileage-focused tire, 'iON ST AS,' to Apollo Go autonomous vehicles operating in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Suzhou, Wuhan, Dongguan, Nanchang, and Sanya.
Since establishing a strategic partnership with Baidu in March of last year, Hankook Tire has been supplying the iON ST AS to Level 4 autonomous vehicles in Wuhan and Shenzhen, accumulating real-world driving data. Recognized for its performance tailored to the operational characteristics of autonomous vehicles, such as frequent starts and stops and long-duration operation, the company has sequentially expanded supply to cities including Beijing and Chongqing.
The iON ST AS features an electric-vehicle-specific profile design and a 'producible compound' that enhances mileage performance. It reduces rolling resistance while improving wear resistance and grip, thereby lowering vehicle energy consumption and extending tire life. The tire delivers stable performance even in urban driving conditions involving frequent acceleration and deceleration, cornering, and braking. Additionally, optimized tread patterns and structural design have reduced noise and vibration during driving.
The tires are also designed to cope with varying road and climate environments across different regions. According to the company, they provide stable grip and steering stability in Beijing and Shanghai, which have heavy traffic and frequent long-distance travel; Chongqing, which is densely packed with slopes, bridges, tunnels, and curved sections; and Dongguan and Suzhou, which experience high rainfall.
The two companies will continue their cooperation linking 'vehicle-tire-road-cloud.' They plan to build a system that manages the entire tire lifecycle by connecting iON ST AS driving data with Apollo Go's real-time tire pressure monitoring and wear warning systems, aiming to enhance the operational efficiency and stability of autonomous vehicles.
A Hankook Tire official emphasized, "We are expanding the application scope of the iON line from general electric passenger cars to commercial vehicles and autonomous vehicles." The official added, "Based on our global research and development (R&D) capabilities, we will further enhance iON performance to strengthen our technological competitiveness in the autonomous driving and smart mobility markets."
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