Nexen Tire Unveils Korea’s First Virtual Driving Simulator—But Can It Replace the Road?
Nexen Tire has staked its claim as South Korea’s first company to adopt a High Dynamic Driving Simulator, a sophisticated “virtual road” designed to test tire performance without a single wheel touching asphalt. Installed at its Magok R&D center, the system promises to measure acceleration, braking, handling, and more in a fully digital environment.
The company is pitching the simulator as a breakthrough: fewer physical prototypes, lower development costs, and less fuel burned in test vehicles. It is a pitch very much in tune with the times, aligning neatly with the industry’s shift toward electrification, digital development tools, and ESG pledges. Yet for all the fanfare, it is worth noting that Europe’s premium manufacturers have relied on similar systems for years.
The advantages are clear—virtual testing accelerates development cycles and trims expenses. But the realities of tire engineering remain stubbornly physical. Road wear, weather variations, and the sheer unpredictability of real-world conditions cannot yet be distilled into software equations. That makes any claim of replacing all road testing with simulation more marketing gloss than material fact.
Nexen’s new tool will undoubtedly sharpen its engineering processes and help the brand close the gap with established rivals. Still, as every engineer knows, sooner or later rubber must meet the road. And when it does, no simulator can fully replicate the chaotic, imperfect surface of reality.
