Nexen masters VR technology

On July 4, Nexen Tire announced that it has become the first in the Korean tire industry to use a driving simulator in the development process, having partnered with British company Ansible Motion.

"Nexen Tire, a leading global tire manufacturer, actively utilizes advanced technologies in its research and development of new tires to respond to the rapid changes in the mobility industry," the company says. "Virtual reality technologies enable testing and creating innovative tires, while artificial intelligence predicts the characteristics of new products, increasing the efficiency of R&D."

As part of the development of new tires, Nexen tests their virtual twins with mathematically simulated parameters, eliminating the need for physical prototyping at the initial stage of development. The driving simulator mimics real-world conditions, allowing for the evaluation of tire characteristics in a virtual environment, and Nexen intends to use the new equipment to save time and reduce costs during tire development for the original equipment sector, strengthening its collaboration with automakers and improving its competitiveness.

Nexen has been using VR and AI technologies even before acquiring the simulator, and in 2022, it developed an AI-based system that predicts the characteristics of tire prototypes and uses machine learning. The company says the system enables quick and accurate prediction of tire parameters such as fuel efficiency, noise, handling, and traction, using extensive data collected from tests. In the future, the company plans to expand the application of AI, and it is currently developing a system based on "explainable artificial intelligence" (XAI), which can interpret the results obtained from calculations.

"The successful implementation of virtual reality and artificial intelligence technologies enhances the competitiveness of our products and helps Nexen Tire achieve its ESG goals," the company says. "Reducing the need for real-world tests decreases the consumption of fossil resources and significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions."

Nexen supplies tires to over 150 countries worldwide, and the company's research and development centers are located in Seoul (South Korea), as well as in the USA, China, and Germany. Companies such as Goodyear and Pirelli also use driving simulators in the development of tires.