INCHEON - BMW Group Korea celebrated the opening of its new research and development (R&D) center in Cheongna International City, Incheon, on Monday. This facility marks a significant upgrade from its original R&D center established in 2015 at the company’s driving center in Incheon.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the decision to expand the R&D center was announced by BMW Group headquarters in 2019, leading to a cooperation agreement with the city of Incheon and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority in December 2021. The new 2,813-square-meter facility includes state-of-the-art repair and testing labs, certification testing rooms, a test track, and a complex for electric vehicle charging stations. It will house approximately 50 employees focused on certification and product development for BMW vehicles imported into South Korea.
BMW also noted its plans to collaborate with local companies, research institutions, and universities to co-develop navigation systems, voice recognition technologies, and user interface prototypes. This move comes as BMW aims to consolidate its position in South Korea's rapidly growing imported car market, having surpassed Mercedes-Benz in 2023 to become the top foreign automobile company in terms of sales in the country.