Hankook Tire releases the details of Road Hazard Prediction & Detection Solution developed in with SK Planet

• Developed a system that detects potential hazardous risks on the road to help prevent accidents
• Audio data on 600 samples collected through 200 test drives at Hankook Tire's proving grounds

Seoul, Korea, November 25, 2020 - Global leading tire company Hankook Tire released a record of the Road Hazard Prediction & Detection Solution’s development process through its official YouTube Channel (https://youtu.be/5veah3WuBFU) today.

Through a strategic partnership with SK Planet, Korea’s top Data & Tech company, Hankook developed Road Hazard Prediction & Detection Solution that preemptively detects potential hazardous risks on the road. The solution essentially analyzes road noise acquired from a moving vehicle through artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning technology to identify risk factors such as rainfall, snow and black ice.

The danger of black ice, for instance, is that it is difficult to detect due to its highly transparent characteristics. It can cause life-threatening accidents particularly on highways. By identifying hazardous conditions in advance, the Road Hazard Prediction & Detection Solution can help reduce the risk of accidents caused by adverse conditions formed through weather and other causes.

Details of the development process published in Hankook Tire YouTube Channel depicts the entire process from planning stages to technology development and real-world adaptation cases.

During the data mining process, Hankook conducted approximately 200 test drives from 20 individual proving grounds including Geumsan G'Trac in Korea to acquire 600 audio samples. These audio samples were converted into 45,000 units of data which were used in developing the technology and improving accuracy. This technology is set to be applied to the road traffic control system in Korea and is expected to contribute to improving road traffic safety.

“I’m very happy about the progress we have made on this project together with SK Planet. We anticipate the Road Hazard Prediction & Detection Solution to play a significant role in improving safety and level of confidence for the driving community,” says Sooil Lee, President and COO of Hankook Tire & Technology. “Safety is Hankook Tire’s top priority, and will continue to explore new frontiers in building solutions that contribute to safe and enjoyable driving culture.”

Likewise, Hankook is showcasing tangible outputs of technological innovation and is leading the tire industry’s digital transformation. In addition to this joint project with SK Planet, the company has been working closely with KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), one of the top science and technology universities in Asia, on future technologies and industry-academic cooperation to accelerate digital transformation and secure R&D capabilities.