In a bid to utilize cutting-edge techniques in its tire R&D, Nexen Tire has introduced its High Dynamic Driving Simulator – VR-based equipment – for tire development which the tire maker claims is being introduced for the first time in the domestic tire industry. Nexen has partnered with British equipment supplier Ansible Motion for this initiative. The driving simulator is expected to bolster collaboration with auto makers, helping to shorten vehicle development times and reduce costs through accelerated virtual development.
VR tire development involves evaluating products using virtual tires with mathematically simulated performance, eliminating the need for initial physical prototypes. Nexen Tire plans to predict and optimize the performance required for OE tires in advance, reducing time and costs while boosting market competitiveness. VR development reduces costs associated with raw materials, vehicles and space rentals while also shortening the testing period and processing time from prototype to finished product.
In 2022, Nexen established an AI performance prediction system that uses machine learning to predict key tire performance metrics at the concept stage. This system enables tire developers to quickly and accurately forecast essential performance characteristics such as fuel efficiency, noise, handling and grip, leveraging extensive test data accumulated over time.
The tire maker also has plans for further expansion of its application of AI technology. The company is developing a system that utilizes XAI (explainable AI) technology, which not only generates answers to given test values but also explains and interprets results and processes to provide optimal design solutions.
