Kumho Tire and Autonomous A2Z to Develop Dedicated Tires for Autonomous Vehicles

Kumho Tire to Supply Tires for Level 4 Autonomous Vehicle "ROii"

Kumho Tire is embarking on a strategic collaboration with Autonomous A2Z, a domestic autonomous driving company, to develop tires for autonomous vehicles.

On September 15, Kumho Tire and Autonomous A2Z (hereafter referred to as A2Z) announced that they had signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for the Development and Supply of Future Tire Technology for Autonomous Vehicles" at Kumho Tire's headquarters in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on September 12. The two companies will cooperate on the development of autonomous vehicles and jointly develop and supply smart tires and airless tires.

A2Z has recently gained global attention, ranking 11th among global autonomous driving technology companies. Through its partnership with A2Z, Kumho Tire will supply tires for "ROii," a Korean Level 4 autonomous vehicle. This vehicle is scheduled to be showcased on the global stage at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which will be held in Gyeongju in October.

Kumho Tire and Autonomous A2Z have signed a memorandum of understanding for the development and supply of future tire technology for autonomous vehicles. After the signing ceremony, Jeong Iltaek, president of Kumho Tire (right in the photo), and Han Jihyung, CEO of A2Z, are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Kumho Tire

This project has been selected as part of the "Real Industry-Academia-Research Cooperation R&D Project" led by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The project is carried out through a system in which companies and the government jointly plan, government-funded research institutes collaborate on research and development, and a commitment is made to transfer the developed technology. According to a Kumho Tire representative, this is an R&D model for creating new growth engines at the national level, supporting not just simple technology development but also technologies that companies actually need in society.

Through this project, Kumho Tire plans to commercialize future-oriented tires applicable to Level 4 or higher autonomous vehicles within four years. In particular, smart sensor-based tire technology and airless tire technology are expected to dramatically enhance the safety and efficiency of autonomous vehicles.

Jeong Iltaek, president of Kumho Tire, stated, "In the evolution of future mobility, tires are no longer just components that assist driving; they have become core technologies that determine vehicle performance, safety, and energy efficiency. Based on differentiated technology and data-driven engineering, we will strive to expand the future-oriented functionality of mobility."