Mercedes-Benz Korea announced on the 9th that it held a commemorative event to mark the 10th anniversary of its domestic research and development facility, the ‘Mercedes-Benz R&D Korea Center,’ and that it will continue to strengthen its capabilities for innovative future vehicle development and optimized mobility solutions tailored to local needs.
The ‘R&D Korea Center’ was established in 2014 to flexibly meet the needs of domestic customers and rapidly launch localized products. This anniversary event took place on the 23rd at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo, Seoul, with notable attendees including Michael Haepfner, Vice President of MB.OS Base Layer and MBUX at Mercedes-Benz AG, Matthias Beitl, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Korea, and Kulsat Kartal, Director of the Mercedes-Benz R&D Korea Center, along with the center’s staff.
Matthias Beitl, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Korea, expressed, “I am pleased that the Mercedes-Benz R&D Korea Center has established a solid position as a leading company in the era of future mobility through strengthened collaboration with Korean companies and continuous research and development over the past 10 years,” adding, “On this 10th anniversary, we will continue to strive to develop products and services that align with the needs of Korean customers.”
Over the past decade, the R&D Korea Center has worked to meet the specialized needs of domestic customers and provide market-optimized products and services through initiatives such as: ▲ integration and optimization of domestic applications, ▲ localization of navigation systems, ▲ application of Korean language patches to Mercedes-Benz software, and ▲ localization of advanced driving assistance systems.
To enhance its infotainment systems, the center has collaborated on technology development with 11 domestic IT firms, including KT, LG Electronics, LG Display, Tmap Mobility, NHN Bugs, Kakao Entertainment, Dreamus Company, and Wavve, in a push that has lasted over the past three years. Additionally, it has been hosting an annual startup incubation program called Startup Autobahn since 2019, helping the growth of over 40 promising companies.
Furthermore, the R&D Korea Center has nearly doubled its office size and research personnel in the past six years, contributing to advanced driving assistance system development and enhancing new vehicle safety, with approximately 70 researchers actively involved across two locations in Seoul.
Looking ahead, Mercedes-Benz Korea plans to introduce autonomous driving technology through quantitative and qualitative enhancements of its research and development capabilities as well as advanced infrastructure. This includes expanding the startup ecosystem through the discovery and collaboration with promising companies, as well as accelerating local development in the field of digital innovation with sophisticated software design.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz Korea is commencing this year’s program for the ‘Startup Autobahn Korea,’ which is held annually at the R&D Korea Center to promote open innovation. Companies interested in participating can apply until the 17th.
Startup Autobahn is a global open innovation platform first launched at the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Germany in 2016, designed to discover promising startups and build collaborative frameworks. The initiative was introduced in South Korea in 2020 as ‘Startup Autobahn Korea’ and has been held annually to nurture local promising companies, providing opportunities for expert mentoring, networking, and investment acquisition to help startups enter the global market.
This year’s fifth edition of ‘Startup Autobahn Korea’ includes participation from a total of eight partner companies and institutions, such as LG Electronics, Seoul Economic Promotion Agency, and the Korea International Trade Association. It aims to support the rapid growth and stable market establishment of startups in eight sectors, including future mobility, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, software, and hardware, while promoting the development of the startup ecosystem.
Startups that apply will be selected during the ‘Selection Day’ in June, where project pitching and networking events will take place. Partners will then be assigned to each startup, and starting in July, a ‘100-day program’ for technology validation (PoC) will commence with the collaborative partners.
Any promising startup with excellent technology and business models can apply via the official website (startup-autobahn.kr), and the program is operated in conjunction with startup accelerator Y&Archer.
Contact: Jang Jin-Young daedusj@autodiary.kr