Hankook Tire & Technology's headquarters, Technoplex. [Hankook Tire & Technology]
Hankook Tire & Technology's headquarters, Technoplex. [Hankook Tire & Technology]

Hankook Tire & Technology has introduced an AI-powered consulting service on its online tire store that recommends suitable tires based on a customer's vehicle type, driving habits and budget, then guides them through to completing an order.

The company announced Wednesday that it is running a launch promotion for the AI consulting service T'Bot on Tstation.com through Aug. 21.

T'Bot is an AI-based consulting service available on Tstation.com. After logging in, customers can access it by tapping the "AI" icon at the bottom right of the screen.

Customers enter their vehicle information, driving style and budget, and T'Bot recommends tires that match those criteria. The service also handles store searches, visit reservations, order inquiries and information on available benefits during the consultation. Hankook Tire & Technology said it is the first tire company in South Korea to connect AI consulting directly to order placement.

Tires are widely considered a difficult purchase for consumers to navigate on their own, as the same vehicle model can accommodate a wide range of specifications, performance grades and price points. As the auto maintenance and consumables market sees growing demand for services that combine online browsing with in-store installation, the ability to handle consultation and booking in a single digital experience is becoming increasingly important.

The company said the service is designed to reduce the burden on customers when choosing tires. Beyond basic product searches, it plans to support the full purchase journey — before and after the sale — with features such as tire inspection reminders, purchase history lookups and answers to frequently asked questions.

As part of the launch promotion, customers who receive a tire consultation through T'Bot and complete an AI-generated order form will receive a 30,000-won ($20) shopping coupon valid for a single purchase of four tires on Tstation.com.

The service is part of the "Data & AI Driven" strategy being pursued by Hankook & Company Group. In line with its AI transformation push, the group is expanding the use of AI technology across research and development, quality control, supply chain management and customer service.

Hankook Tire & Technology is also strengthening services that integrate its offline stores with its online platform. The company operates "all my T," an integrated online-offline service linking its roughly 800 Tstation and The Tire Shop locations nationwide with the Tstation.com platform.

Through the service, customers can select tires online and book an installation appointment at a nearby store. The company said it aims to improve customer convenience by linking its vehicle care services — backed by trained staff and specialized equipment — with online purchasing and installation reservation capabilities.


kwater@heraldcorp.com