The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority recently announced on the 8th that BMW Korea, a subsidiary of Germany's BMW, has commenced construction of the BMW Research and Development (R&D) Center in Cheongna International City.
To this end, BMW Korea signed a land lease contract in February to lease a long-term industrial complex site (5,295㎡) within the Cheongna IHP Urban High-Tech Industrial Complex from the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) for up to 30 years, with completion targeted for the first half of next year.
The BMW R&D Center will conduct research in various future mobility fields through technological exchanges between the German headquarters and Korea, focusing on autonomous driving, connectivity, and electrification technologies. In particular, it will be equipped with testing facilities for product development as well as inspection and testing, which is expected to create domestic employment due to workforce expansion.
Additionally, the test lab facility to be built alongside the research center will have separate spaces and equipment for vehicle certification and electrification technology verification.
The BMW R&D Center was first established in 2015 at the Yeongjong BMW Driving Center, becoming the fifth such center worldwide after the United States, China, Japan, and Brazil. Through this construction project, it will be expanded and relocated to Cheongna IHP.
Kim Jin-yong, head of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, stated, "The establishment of the BMW R&D Center is expected to contribute to creating an innovative ecosystem in the future mobility sector within the Incheon Free Economic Zone," adding, "We will provide all necessary administrative support to ensure the center is successfully built and operated."
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