What’s Treading with Tire Review

What goes into Hankook tires before they ever reach a dealership? I traveled to South Korea to find out, spending three days with the company's engineers and leadership team to understand how artificial intelligence, virtual simulations and physical testing are changing tire engineering.The trip took me to three of Hankook's major facilities: Technoplex, its global headquarters in Pangyo; Technodome, its research and development center in Daejeon; and Technoring, its proving ground in Taean.How Hankook Tires Are Designed and TestedAt Technodome, engineers showed me how digital models help them evaluate tread patterns, rubber compounds and internal tire construction before building physical prototypes. Hankook says one of its systems can analyze as many as 100,000 potential compound recipes per minute.The company believes AI-assisted development could eventually reduce tire development timelines by approximately half. But engineers still need physical test data to validate predictions and improve the models.That brought me to Technoring, where 13 specialized test tracks allow Hankook to evaluate tires under different driving conditions. I climbed into a car with a professional driver and experienced speeds approaching 143 mph, putting a very physical perspective on the engineering happening behind the scenes.Throughout the trip, I explored how Hankook develops its tires. I examined why computer predictions still need real-world testing. I also considered what these investments could eventually mean for tire performance.And along the way, I got to experience some of the food, culture and everyday surprises of South Korea.This is Part I of our journey inside Hankook's tire development operations in South Korea. Stay tuned for Part II.

A car drives through your service lane, but your inspection system may not capture everything it should. Maybe the driver stopped too soon or turned the wheel. Would your shop even know something went wrong?That's one of the problems Hunter Engineering is addressing with its connected inspection technology.Today, we talk with Hunter Engineering's Mike Brecht about HunterNet 2 and Inspection Live, two connected platforms designed to help shops get more useful information from their equipment and better understand what's happening in their service lanes.Brecht demonstrates HunterNet 2's Diagnostic View, which helps managers identify vehicles that stop or turn during automated inspections and see whether those movements interfere with alignment or tire tread measurements. For busy shops where employees can't watch every vehicle enter, that information can help pinpoint problems with traffic flow and inspection consistency.We also cover Hunter's cloud-based Inspection Live software. A single console can operate two inspection lanes, while over-the-air software and specification updates eliminate the need for certain on-site service visits. For multi-location businesses, that means more consistent software across their operations.On the customer side, Hunter's Flightboard displays alignment and tread health information as vehicles enter the service lane. The system uses roughly 400,000 sensor measurements to create detailed tire renderings, giving customers a visual representation of tire condition before they even speak with a service advisor.But collecting inspection data is only part of the equation. Brecht also walks through HunterNet 2's performance dashboards, which help shop owners compare alignment opportunities against completed alignments, establish goals, monitor equipment usage and evaluate results over time. Reports can even be delivered by text or email.

Hankook Tire is expanding truck tire production at its Clarksville, Tennessee, manufacturing plant as the tiremaker looks to grow its presence with U.S. fleets, tire dealers and original equipment customers.We visited the Hankook Clarksville plant as International Motors presented Hankook with its Diamond Supplier Award, International’s highest supplier recognition. Hankook was one of only seven companies selected from roughly 1,600 direct suppliers based on performance in technology, quality, delivery, cost and sustainability.The award comes as Hankook significantly expands tire manufacturing in Clarksville. At full capacity, the expanded plant should produce roughly 10 million passenger and light truck tires annually. It should also produce 1 million medium truck tires.Hankook Tire North America President Rob Williams explains how the Hankook Clarksville plant expansion will support both replacement and original equipment tire customers. He also discusses Hankook’s “local-to-local” strategy, which puts more Hankook commercial tire production in the U.S. to improve product availability and strengthen the domestic supply chain.Mark Roe, vice president of U.S. truck and bus tire sales, also discusses Hankook’s growing commercial tire lineup, product testing and technical support for dealers and fleets.See how the Hankook Clarksville plant is increasing U.S. truck tire production, and how this could shape Hankook’s commercial tire growth.

The Continental TerrainContact A/T2 brings more aggressive tread, Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification and a 65,000-mile limited mileage warranty to Continental’s premium all-terrain tire lineup. But can a tougher-looking truck and SUV tire keep the quiet ride drivers want for their daily commute?That’s the question Tire Review’s David Sickels takes to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a launch featuring Tyler Hubbard, the MLS All-Star Game and plenty of conversation about what drivers actually want from an all-terrain tire.David talks with Continental’s Brian Beierwaltes, head of marketing for U.S. passenger and light truck tires, and Bjoern Glaeser, head of product management, about the TerrainContact A/T2’s changes from the original TerrainContact A/T and the customers Continental designed it for.Features of the TerrainContact A/T2 include:• Ride comfort and noise: Continental says the A/T2 stays as quiet as its predecessor despite its more aggressive tread.• Tread design: A bolder shoulder, deeper tread, thicker blocks and more outer-shoulder rubber aim to support traction and durability.• Snow capability: High-density siping adds biting edges, and the A/T2 carries Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification.• Wet and snow performance: Continental reports a 3% improvement in wet braking and a 10% improvement in snow performance over the predecessor.• Mileage warranty: The limited mileage warranty increases from 60,000 miles on the original A/T to 65,000 miles on the A/T2.• Sizes and fitments: Continental is launching 28 new A/T2 sizes while retaining 11 original A/T sizes for certain OE trail packages and niche fitments. Continental says the combined 39-size offering covers more than 90% of premium all-terrain buyers.For tire dealers, the conversation centers on a familiar customer: someone who wants off-road capability and a tougher look, but spends most of the week commuting, running errands and driving on pavement.What are your all-terrain customers asking for? Quiet comfort, off-road traction or the aggressive look? Tell us in the comments, and subscribe to Tire Review for more What’s Treading.www.tirereview.comwww.hunter.com

A four-tire change in under 20 minutes usually requires more than one tech. Hunter Engineering’s "Speed Theory" demonstrates how one technician can accomplish it with two pieces of equipment – without busting their butt to work faster or harder.What is Speed Theory? It is a tire-service workflow that uses the autonomous functions of Hunter’s Revolution tire changer and Road Force WalkAway wheel balancer to keep both machines working while the technician completes other necessary tasks.To find out exactly how it works, we join Hunter Engineering’s David Henry for an on-site demonstration of the process. Henry explains why technicians should prioritize restarting the autonomous tire changer, how moving inflation and bead seating to the wheel balancer frees the changer for its next assembly, and why autonomous inflation on the final tire can save approximately two additional minutes.According to Henry, operating two autonomous processes simultaneously can reduce tire-service cycle times by more than 40%. The time created while the equipment works can be used to retrieve additional tires, service TPMS components, prepare wheel weights, record DOT numbers, clean hubs or address wheel corrosion.www.tirereview.comwww.hunter.com

What happens when we decide to take on some of Moab's toughest slickrock on Milestar tires? Tire Review Publisher Bobbie Adams heads to Utah for the 2026 Milestar Ride & Drive Experience, taking Jeeps equipped with three Milestar Patagonia tires (the Patagonia M/T-02, Patagonia X/T and Patagonia A/T Pro) across Fins N’ Things and Hell’s Revenge – two trails filled with sand, steep climbs, narrow ridges, ledges and technical rock obstacles.We provide a hands-on Milestar tire review and explain the differences between the Patagonia M/T-02, Patagonia X/T and Patagonia A/T Pro. The M/T-02 is the lineup’s most aggressive mud-terrain tire, combining a three-ply sidewall and stone ejectors with surprisingly civilized on-road manners. The Patagonia X/T fills the rugged-terrain space between an all-terrain and a mud-terrain, adding a cut-and-chip-resistant compound, three-ply sidewall construction, stone and mud ejectors, and the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) designation on every size. The Patagonia A/T Pro targets drivers who spend more time on pavement but still need meaningful off-road capability. It carries 3PMSF certification and features Milestar’s MILETECH compound, a square shoulder profile, and an aggressive sidewall design. Stone ejectors complete the package.How do Milestar Patagonia tires perform off-road? Traction, sidewall strength and control over uneven terrain are tested in the ultimate testing ground. You’ll also learn why Milestar believes their products can deliver broad vehicle coverage, strong product support and capability that punches above its price point.Tire Review: www.tirereview.comHunter Engineering: www.hunter.com

An OE tire can begin taking shape two to three years before its intended vehicle even reaches the market. During that window, engineers developing Nexen OE tires work alongside automakers to translate a vehicle’s performance goals into measurable targets – from steering response and ride comfort to treadwear, rolling resistance, braking and grip.Aaron Neumann, head of the Nexen Tire America Technical Center, talks through that collaboration, from the initial sourcing package through virtual development, physical tire submissions and final vehicle testing. He also discusses how frequently the two engineering teams exchange data, where performance compromises may be necessary and how Nexen determines which targets a tire can realistically achieve.Neumann also takes us inside Nexen’s testing process, including its use of force-and-moment measurements, vehicle simulators and real-world evaluations. An $8 million dynamic simulator can narrow the field. However, he says final details of Nexen OE tires still require testing in an actual vehicle.Tire Review: www.tirereview.comHunter Engineering: www.hunter.com

Giti Tire USA is making a major push into the U.S. market, and it has a clear message: Giti engineers and manufactures these tires in America, and it builds them for American roads.We visited Giti’s manufacturing and R&D facility in Richburg, South Carolina, to examine how the company plans to build trust with dealers and consumers. We break down the new Giti Tire USA lineup, including touring, all-terrain, rugged-terrain, all-weather and winter products, while also looking at the expanded GT Radial light truck portfolio.In addition, we also explore how Giti’s connected U.S. manufacturing and R&D operations could improve product development, supply efficiency and speed to market. We also examine the GitiGuardian support package, which gives dealers additional tools when presenting a less familiar brand to shoppers.Along the way, we experience GT Radial’s Formula DRIFT program and take the new Adventuro ATZ and Adventuro RT off-road. The bigger question is whether Giti can combine American engineering, domestic production, global experience, warranties and proven performance into a tire brand that earns a place at the dealer counter – and ultimately with U.S. drivers.For tire dealers, the launch represents a new value-focused option backed by domestic supply and support.Tire Review: www.tirereview.comHunter Engineering: www.hunter.com

In this episode of What’s Treading, we delve deep into one of the biggest questions facing tire dealers and auto repair shops right now: Where does AI for tire shops actually belong in the business?Clay Whitaker, founder of Auto Shop Agents, joins the show to explain why AI works best when it is used in low-risk, practical ways, instead of as a full replacement for the people who build trust with customers every day. Should you use AI to cover missed calls? AI voice tools? Service advisor training? To investigate data or customer behaviors?Clay also shares what AutoShop Agents has learned from analyzing shop phone calls, including why giving a price too quickly, failing to build value and not asking for the appointment can cost shops business. He explains how AI-powered practice, coaching and performance tracking can help solve these issues. AI for tire shops can also help service advisors improve close rates across tires, brakes, oil changes, diagnostics and more.Plus, the discussion introduces Service Advisor League. This gamified platform helps advisors compete and see how their conversations stack up nationally.

The Hankook Clarksville plant puts a lot of big tire industry talking points under one very large roof: domestic production, product availability, supply chain stability and proof-of-product testing.I visited Hankook’s Tennessee campus for a closer look at the company’s North American manufacturing strategy, including the Phase Two expansion that is expected to add another 4.5 million to 5 million consumer units of annual capacity. The plant first began domestic production in 2017 with about 4.5 million units of annual capacity, and Hankook is also beginning medium commercial tire production at the site, with plans to reach up to 1 million medium truck units.“I think we’re all aware of what’s going on in the market with tariffs. A lot of product is coming in from all over the world, and we feel it’s very important to have domestic production with an American-made product," said Rob Williams, President and CEO of Hankook Tire North America. "It’s good from a supply chain standpoint. It’s also very important for dealers to be able to get product just in time.”Inside the facility, automation plays a major role, from AI-driven forklifts to highly technical equipment operated from control panels. Hankook also benefits from sister companies that help build the equipment and technology used in its tire production process.“Today, with any production, automation is very important. Innovation is very important. It still has the human element, though," Williams said. "We never want to feel like the technology overshadows the human element. However, today we can employ people who know they can work on state-of-the-art equipment. You’ll see forklifts running around that are all AI-driven. We literally can have one operator operate multiple pieces of equipment because in a lot of cases, they’re really just overseeing the control panel.”The visit also included drive time on several Tennessee-made products, including the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme, Laufenn X Fit AT2, Dynapro XT and DynaPro MT2. Between the expanded plant, warehouse space and proving ground behind the facility, the Hankook Clarksville plant is becoming a major part of how the company plans to grow in North America.www.tirereview.comwww.hunter.com