German auto giant Mercedes Benz on Thursday said it will hire 1,000 engineers in India next year for its research and development (R&D) initiatives in the country.
"Currently, its staff in India accounts for 3,500 people which has risen from a 700-strong headcount five years back. Next year we plan to recruit another 1,000," MD and CEO of Mercedes Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), Manu Saale said.
The Indian research team of Mercedes Benz is currently undertaking important assignments to develop safety features in its vehicles, he said on the sidelines of Safe Roads roadshow in city.
"We carry on R&D exercise not just for the luxury cars, but for trucks, buses as well as vans from the Indian R&D centre," he said.
With a strength of 3,500, MBRDI has grown up to become the largest R&D centre (in terms of headcount) for Mercedes-Benz outside its headquarters in Germany.
Luxury automotive major, through MBRDI currently owns 500 patents in the country.
Last year, the company extended the MBRDI centre to Pune in Maharashtra across 23,318 sq ft of floor space.
"There is a bit of India in every Mercedes-Benz cars," Professor Schoeneburg, director of development, safety, durability and corrosion protection at Mercedes-Benz Cars said.
(With PTI inputs)