BMW Group Korea on Monday opened its renewed research and development (R andD) center in South Korea equipped with cutting-edge automobile testing equipment, as the German auto giant tries to expand its presence in the country's fast growing imported car market. The company held an opening ceremony for the BMW Group R andD Center Korea established at Cheongna International City in Incheon, west of Seoul. The facility is an upgraded version of the group's R andD center that first opened at the company's Incheon driving center in 2015. In 2019, the BMW Group headquarters announced the plan to expand its then R andD Center in South Korea, and subsequently signed an agreement with the city of Incheon and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZ) in December 2021 for the construction of the new facility. The 2,813-square-meter single-story center is equipped with repair and testing labs, certification testing rooms, a test track and a complex for electric vehicle charging stations. It will accommodate a round 50 employees who support certification and product development of BMW vehicles imported into South Korea. The company said it plans to collaborate with domestic companies, research facilities and universities to co-develop navigation systems, voice recognition technology, and UI prototypes. Last year, BMW overtook Mercedes-Benz to become the leading foreign automobile company in South Korea in terms of sales, selling 77,395 units out of the total 271,034 foreign vehicles sold in the country in 2023. Source: Yonhap News Agency