Ford opens new research centre in Tel Aviv

By REUTERS | 12 June 2019


DETROIT: Ford Motor Co said today it opened a research centre in Tel Aviv, becoming one of several global automakers beefing up operations in Israel to take advantage of the country’s vibrant technology sector.

The centre will support Ford’s automotive and mobility businesses by identifying technologies and start-up companies in the fields of connectivity, sensors, automated-systems research, in-vehicle monitoring and cyber security, the company said.

Ford’s announcement comes as technology and automobile companies seek access to Israeli expertise in automated driving, boosting investment in the country.

US chipmaker Intel Corp, German auto supplier Continental AG, Samsung Electronics Co, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Co and General Motors Co are among companies that bought startups or set up their own development centres in Israel.

Ford said its new centre will operate in close co-ordination with the company’s machine learning unit, SAIPS, which the US carmaker acquired about three years ago.

SAIPS chief executive officer Udy Danino has been appointed as Israel technical director for the new centre.

Ford’s global network of research centres include Aachen in Germany, Nanjing in China and Dearborn in the United States.

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