Hankook & Company acquires autonomous driving technology from driving data startup ‘3Secondz'

■ Accelerate digital transformation by internalizing ‘autonomous driving road test’ technology using unmanned vehicles

■ To expand business by securing data collection and analysis capabilities to lead artificial intelligence-related technologies in the mobility industry

■ Continuation of partnership with ‘3Secondz’ which carried out various technical cooperation since 2020

Seoul, Korea, March 7, 2023 – Hankook & Company, the holding company of Hankook & Company Group (formerly Hankook Tire Group), is strengthening its digital innovation capabilities through the acquisition of autonomous driving technology from driving data startup, 3Secondz.

Founded in 2016 by CEO Kim Jae-woo from KAIST, startup 3Secondz has developed driver-specific autonomous driving technologies based on advanced driving data. These include the real-time driving data collection device ‘XYRO’, and the control and driving data analysis software 'TeamSolution'.

Hankook & Company and 3Secondz have been partners since 2020, introducing 3Secondz's real-time test vehicle control system and unmanned test solutions to Hankook Technoring, a tire test track of Hankook Tire & Technology, an affiliate of Hankook & Company.

In June 2022, 3Secondz introduced an autonomous test driving car that checked the grip and durability of tires on the ‘Gravel Road’, a harsh condition test driving section of Hankook Technoring, and successfully commercialized autonomous driving technology for harsh condition driving tests - for the first time in the world.

Hankook & Company's acquisition of this technology is part of its strategy to pursue industry-wide trend 'Digital Transformation' which leads to significant advantages in tire and vehicle development. Autonomous driving technology applied to driving tests enable more consistent data collection without the need for a driver. The acquisition is also expected to strengthen Hankook & Company’s new business development and investment capabilities based on data collection and analysis technology.

When the acquisition is completed, 3Secondz's personnel in charge of autonomous driving technology development will be transferred to Hankook & Company to continue mobility technology development projects. Through this, the partnership plans to accelerate the development of innovative technologies to proactively lead the future mobility market, such as autonomous driving, intelligent tire development, and advancement of Hankook Technoring control solutions.

Seong-Jin Kim, CDO & CIO of Hankook & Company, said, "We are excited that this acquisition will enable Hankook & Company to lead AI-related technologies in the mobility field, and we are looking forward to creating strong synergies with 3Secondz in various future businesses."

Meanwhile, Hankook & Company is carrying out a mid- to long-term digital transformation strategy based on three major strategies of the year: Data/AI Driven, Digitized Operation, and Digital Literacy. First, the company aims to make information easily understandable and accessible through a platform approach through ‘Data/AI Driven’ strategy. Through 'Digitized Operation', data and business processes will be connected across systems, and clear goals and action plans will be established. Lastly, the company plans to digitally connect all tasks, processes, resources, and data to facilitate flexible collaboration among executives and employees through digital literacy.