3D-printed tyres and a vehicle with spherical wheels: Hankook showcases the mobility of tomorrow
Korean premium tyre manufacturer Hankook showcased two concepts illustrating what the mobility of tomorrow could look like at its “Design Innovation Day 2025”: a sustainable, 3D-printed tyre and a robotic platform that allows vehicles to manoeuvre in all directions.
The Sustainable Concept Tyre is produced layer by layer in a 3D printer. It uses recycled and renewable raw materials and features an organic tread design with forms based on natural efficiency principles. The prototype was developed in collaboration with engineering partner Harvestance, using Ntop design software. The goal of this concept is resource-efficient production, lasting durability and easy recycling.
The two-seater PathCruizer mobility pod, which is powered by the WheelBot 2 robotic platform uses special spherical wheels that can roll in all directions allowing the PathCruizer to move sideways, diagonally, or turn on the spot. This innovative functionality allows for precise manoeuvres in airport passenger boarding bridges, or as a flexible means of transport in urban mobility hubs. Hankook developed the technology in conjunction with robotics startup CALMANTECH.
Turning on the spot, turning at a right angle, or moving diagonally — the following video demonstrates the manoeuvrability of the PathCruizer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFy7P3JbAsU
Leading research and industry partners
The projects are part of Hankook’s “Design Innovation Project”, which has been running since 2012 in partnership with prominent design schools worldwide, including the University of Cincinnati, the Royal College of Art in London, and Germany’s Pforzheim University. Leading technology partners such as LG Electronics, Rainbow Robotics and CALMANTECH contributed additional expertise. Its success can be seen in international design competitions like the Red Dot, iF and IDEA Award, where the projects have already achieved accolades.
Hankook’s “Design Innovation Day” is an annual forum aimed at presenting new mobility technologies at the intersection of innovation, design, and sustainability. Another aim is to strengthen links to the technology partners. The event is hosted in the “Technoplex”, Hankook’s headquarters in Pangyo in South Korea.
Contact:
Larissa Büsch
PR Manager
Tel.: +49 6102 8149-173
l.buesch@hankookn.com
Images
About news aktuell GmbH
news aktuell, a subsidiary of the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa), provides companies, institutions and associations with effective access to both the media and consumers and supports the organizations in telling their stories easily and successfully. Utilizing the digital tools “ots” and “zimpel” PR content reaches all media formats, including classic print titles, wide-reach online portals or social networks. In addition, news aktuell publishes all of its clients' PR content on www.presseportal.de, one of Germany's widest-reaching PR portals. Thus, all relevant multipliers are reached worldwide, ranging from editors and digital influencers to specialist bloggers and interested consumers. Communications specialists from all over Germany rely on the expertise of the dpa subsidiary. news aktuell has been on the market since 1989 and employs over 135 people. The company is based in Hamburg. Further locations include Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.
Subscribe to releases from news aktuell GmbH
Subscribe to all the latest releases from news aktuell GmbH by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from news aktuell GmbH
EU´s Auto Sector Sees Sharp Drop in Robot Adoption25.9.2025 14:31:40 CEST | Press release
Frankfurt, September 25th, 2025 — The EU’s automotive industry installed 30,650 industrial robots in 2024. This represents a 5% year-on-year decline. Six of the EU´s top ten vehicle-producing countries recorded double-digit losses. This is according to the World Robotics 2025 Industrial Robots report, presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). “The automotive sector is traditionally one of the strongest customer industries worldwide, accounting for around a quarter of all robot installations in 2024,” says Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “However, against this trend, the majority of EU´s car making countries cut back significantly on investment in robotics.” Germany is the largest producer of vehicles in the EU and fourth worldwide with an output of more than 4 million units in 2024 – OICA reports. The car sector in Germany used to account for more than 40% of the annual domestic robot installations. But these shares have fallen su
PLAN-B NET ZERO AG Successfully Completes CHF 4.5 Million Capital Raise25.9.2025 14:01:16 CEST | Press release
Zug, Switzerland. 25 September 2025 – PLAN-B NET ZERO AG, an innovative greentech company in the neo-energy sector, has successfully completed a capital increase of CHF 4.5 million. The company's share capital now amounts to CHF 5.0 million, providing PLAN-B NET ZERO with a solid foundation for its continued expansion.
FEV and Nature Architects collaborate on the development of AI-supported, innovative vehicle structures25.9.2025 12:31:04 CEST | Press release
Aachen/Tokyo – Leading international engineering service provider FEV and Japanese technology company Nature Architects (NA) have agreed on a strategic collaboration. The goal is to jointly develop novel vehicle structures that set new standards in lightweight construction, functionality, and development dynamics through innovative design methods using artificial intelligence.
EU remains economic leader in its neighbourhood – but rivals are catching up25.9.2025 08:00:00 CEST | Press release
As the new Geoeconomic Interconnectivity Index (GEOII) shows, the EU should strategically leverage economic relations in its neighbourhood to remain competitive over the long term with China, Russia and the United States. The index measures interconnectivity in the areas of trade, finance and economic policy between the EU and neighbouring countries. The tool was developed by the Bertelsmann Stiftung in cooperation with the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) and the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE).
Kerry Establishes New Biotechnology Centre in Leipzig24.9.2025 09:56:51 CEST | Press release
Centre to facilitate cutting-edge innovations with wide range of applications across food, beverage and pharma
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom