Instagram Outage Disrupts Thousands of U.S. Users 
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO 
Anthropic Eyes $350 Billion Valuation as AI Funding and Share Sale Accelerate 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Amazon Stock Rebounds After Earnings as $200B Capex Plan Sparks AI Spending Debate 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Once Upon a Farm Raises Nearly $198 Million in IPO, Valued at Over $724 Million 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
AMD Shares Slide Despite Earnings Beat as Cautious Revenue Outlook Weighs on Stock 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Hankook & Co. is acquiring 3Secondz, a local autonomous driving tech firm. The deal is expected to help the South Korean tire maker discover new business opportunities in the future.
Hankook & Company revealed on Tuesday, March 7, that it has bought the autonomous driving technology unit of 3Secondz company that specializes in the driving data business. According to The Korea Economic Daily, the acquisition is part of the tiremaker and mobility firm’s efforts in expanding its presence in the fast-growing artificial intelligence (AI) and mobility business sector.
Moreover, the company is also looking for new ways to earn by venturing into other businesses outside of tire manufacturing. By having 3Secondz under its wing, Hankook & Co. will be able to use its autonomous driving technology for its driving tests.
It will allow the company to gather more driving data without drivers, plus this system is also beneficial for tire and vehicle development. Once the acquisition is closed, the officer in charge of 3Secondz’s autonomous driving technology development is set to join Hankook & Co.
"The acquisition will help Hankook lead the artificial intelligence-related technology in the mobility field," Hankook & Company’s chief digital officer and head of the digital strategy, Kim Sung Jin, said in a statement.
Jin added that they are also expecting the deal to create strong synergies in different business areas in the future. Finally, Business Korea reported that through Hankook & Co. and 3Secondz’s partnership, the companies would speed up the development of innovative technologies to actively lead the future mobility market, including autonomous driving and advancement of the tiremaker’s Hankook Technoring control solutions.
"We are excited that this acquisition will enable Hankook & Company to lead AI-related technologies in the mobility field,” Kankook’s chief development officer and chief information officer, Seong Jin Kim, said. “We are looking forward to creating strong synergies with 3Secondz in various future businesses."
