Kumho Tire has signed a partnership agreement with Ansible Motion to develop next-generation digital tyres using advanced simulation technology. The collaboration will focus on using digital simulation technology to enhance tyre performance verification systems and strengthen competitiveness in the development of tyres for electric vehicles and high-performance vehicles.
Kumho Tire anticipates that introducing driving simulators into its research and development process will reduce the time and cost associated with real vehicle testing and prototype production, while enabling more precise and efficient performance verification from the early stages of development.
“This will serve as an opportunity to advance our research and development paradigm to be more digitally focused,” said Kim Youngjin, EVP and head of R&D at Kumho Tire. “By actively utilising advanced simulation technology, we will introduce high-performance, high-value-added products optimised for the future mobility environment and continuously strengthen our competitiveness in the global market.”
The partnership centres on the Ansible Motion Delta S3 Spin DIL simulator, which replicates road driving environments and allows various driving characteristics – including vehicle dynamics, driving safety and ride comfort – to be tested in a virtual environment.
DIL simulators allow detailed digital representations of tyres to be analysed across a range of parameters, from tread design and carcass construction to compound composition, with immediate human driver feedback captured in real time. By integrating virtual and physical testing, Kumho Tire is aiming to refine its predictive models and improve the correlation between simulation and on-road tests.
The Delta S3 Spin features Ansible Motion’s six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) Stratiform motion system with infinite yaw capability, paired with a 360° wraparound projection display and interchangeable vehicle cabins. The simulator provides one-to-one cueing in many combined lateral and yaw situations, as well as superimposed road disturbances and integration with many tyre modelling packages.
Its open software architecture and scalable 5×5-metre ground-plane excursion base enable adaptability for future upgrades and integrations with external systems such as Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) rigs and advanced vehicle or subsystem models.
Dan Clark, managing director of Ansible Motion, said: “Tyre development has entered a new phase where virtual testing complements and accelerates physical evaluation. Our Delta S3 Spin DIL simulator will enable Kumho Tire to investigate solutions for the next generation of tyres in an environment that enables its engineers to be engineers – without the time and costs associated with traditional prototyping rounds.”
