Value context and insight. lkm@koreatimes.co.kr
BMW breaks ground on R&D center in Incheon's Cheongna
BMW R&D Center Korea in Cheongna International City in Incheon / Courtesy of BMW Group Korea
By Lee Kyung-min
By Lee Kyung-min
BMW Group Korea has begun the construction of a research and development center in Incheon's Cheongna International City, said the Korean office of the global automotive titan, Monday.
Korea is the fifth country to house a global research facility affiliated with the car manufacturer, following the U.S., China, Japan and Brazil.
The center is the latest effort of BMW Group to invest in the Korean market so as to expand its customer base, after it established the BMW Driving Center in Incheon in 2014.
BMW Group has driving experience centers in both Germany and the U.S. But the Driving Center in Korea is the first in the world to combine both a driving track and a dedicated brand experience, the firm said.
The construction of the research center, BMW R&D Center Korea, came about four years after a group of executives from the carmaker's head office visited the country in 2019 to outline research and investment plans.
The research center will be a leading global hub, where a team of dedicated scientists and researchers from Korea and Germany will collaborate to advance the technology on manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs), as well as autonomous driving and smart future mobility.
It will be built on a 5,295-square-meter plot in Cheongna Incheon Hi-Tech Park.
Researchers will be able to run tests at the lab facility, where high-tech equipment can be used to review and assess technology validation before commercialization.
The facility will help create jobs, contributing to the growth of the local economy, the firm said.
BMW Korea R&D Director Dieter Strobl said the new center will “provide services that can enhance the driving experience for local consumers.”
BMW Group Korea said it plans to provide better services to customers and make investments so as to contribute to the growth of the local automotive industry.