Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 14th February 2019 – Premium tyre maker Hankook was among the prize-winners at the renowned “iF Design Award 2019” in the “Professional Concept” and “Product” categories in February. The three winning tyres were the Hexonic and HLS-23 as well as the Kinergy 4S 2, a new all-season passenger car tyre. The two concept tyres, Hexonic and HLS-23 were designed in conjunction with students from the London Royal College of Art (RCA) within the context of the “Design Innovation” research and development project and have already been showcased at several international trade fairs. Over the past ten years, Hankook has now received the iF Design Award no fewer than 20 times.
The two concept tyres are models tuned to autonomous driving. The Hexonic is a tyre for completely autonomous car-sharing vehicles and guarantees enhanced driving comfort. Built-in scanners analyse the road in real time using seven separate sensors on the tyre profile. Conditions such as grip, temperature and road surface are detected and the tyre treads adapted accordingly. The HLS-23 was developed for automated logistics systems and the tyres use sensors to mutually monitor their position between the vehicles and maintain a constant distance apart. In addition, the tyre ensures a reliable driving performance and thus contributes to problem-free automatic goods deliveries.
The symmetrical V-shaped profile of the all-season tyre Kinergy 4S 2 drains water effectively from the tyre surface. The detail elements inspired by a ski pole disc and a water wheel also stabilise the driving performance. Two different summer and winter sipes were used in the design to guarantee both braking performance on snowy roads and good handling on dry roads.
As Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Krause, head of the Hankook European Development Centre in Hanover, says, “We are delighted to receive the iF Design Award for the Kinergy 4S 2. The objective was to design a tyre that is practical and attractive at the same time. We are very proud to have received one of the most renowned design prizes in the world for our work.”
The iF Design Award is presented by the International Forum Design and was launched in 1953. It is one of the three most renowned international prizes, ranking alongside the Reddot Design Award and the International Design Excellence Award (IDEA). The contributions are evaluated on the basis of ten criteria including innovation and draft, functionality, aesthetics, responsibility and positioning. This year, around 6,400 contributions were submitted from 50 countries.