Car giant Chery Automobile will open a new research centre in Millbrook later this year.
The new R&D Centre of Excellence will set up business at the UTAC Millbrook proving ground, opening in late autumn.
The move has been described by UTAC as a “significant commitment to engineering and vehicle development in the UK”.
Founded in China in 1997, Chery Automobile is the corporate and manufacturing entity behind a growing portfolio of automotive brands.
The new R&D Centre of Excellence aims to create opportunities to recruit nearby engineering talent and expand into further disciplines over time – including autonomous driving and artificial intelligence.
Gary Lan, CEO of Chery International UK and vice president of the Right-Hand-Drive Division, Chery International, said: “The establishment of our UK R&D Centre of Excellence is the next step in our long-term plan for the UK. We waited over 20 years for the right time to enter this market, and our ambition has always gone much further than simply bringing vehicles here.
“UTAC Millbrook allows us to turn UK customer insight into product development, from ride and steering to active safety systems. It is another step in our long-term investment in the UK, and its work will become part of Chery Automobile’s wider global R&D activities.”
At Millbrook, Chery Automobile’s engineering teams will have access to more than 70km of purpose-built test tracks, alongside battery testing laboratories.
Kirsty Andrew, vice president of UTAC UK, said: “The decision by Chery Automobile to establish its UK R&D Centre of Excellence at UTAC Millbrook is a significant commitment to engineering and vehicle development in the UK.
“Creating a stand-alone engineering centre here means Chery Automobile can develop and validate vehicles against the particular demands of UK roads and UK drivers, with direct access to our engineering expertise and testing environments throughout that process.
“This is about much more than testing individual vehicles. We see this as the sustained momentum of a long-term engineering relationship with Chery Automobile, and we look forward to supporting the team as its capability and development activity at Millbrook grows.”
