The gap between Silicon Valley and Stuttgart continues to shrink. It’s not just Tesla pushing the limits of electric-car performance and connected car innovation, Mercedes is a huge player in the space as well. The company just announced the opening of a new digital hub in Tel Aviv, Israel. The hub is the latest location helping Mercedes digitalize driving, advance the development of autonomous driving and connectivity.
The research and development center in Tel Aviv will focus on digital vehicle and mobility services. Tel Aviv is a hotbed for startup tech companies. Having a development center in the thick of the action was a major priority for Mercedes.
Commenting on the huge tech community of Tel Aviv, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said, “Israel is among the top five ecosystems for innovation, digital technologies, new mobility services and car IT. And it is one of the top four largest talent pools in the world. With our new Technology Center in Tel Aviv, we want to strengthen our global R&D network and tap into this vibrant mix of creativity, optimism and digital competencies to develop innovative mobility solutions for our customers.”
Initially, about 25 employees will staff the Tel Aviv location. The goal is to come up with new technologies to support the connected vehicle such as biometric authentication, navigation, and other innovations. Biometric authentication is a fancy way of saying they’re looking for ways to identify drivers by their faces or fingerprints.
Mercedes has already successfully partnered with “The Bridge” accelerator program. The Bridge is a start-up accelerator program in Tel Aviv. It acts as a bridge between the Israeli entrepreneurial community and major global markets.
The Tel Aviv opening comes on the heels of a recent hub in Seattle this fall. The downtown Seattle location is focused on enhanced connected car functionality.