Merc to hire 250 engineers for Bangalore R&D unit

German auto major Daimler Group firm Mercedes-Benz said on Monday it will hire about 250 engineers for its research and development centre in Bangalore during this year to support its global facility.

"We have a research and development centre in Bangalore, which is working in association with our global development centre in Germany. . . We will enhance the strength of the Bangalore unit to 650 engineers by the end of this year," Mercedes-Benz India general manager (product homologation) Prakash Vermali told reporters on the sidelines of a Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers summit in New Delhi.

At present, the R&D centre employs about 400 people, he added.

The facility is dedicated to passenger cars only, and it currently works in conjunction with Daimler's German unit in many areas, including development of powertrains, Vermali said.

The expansion of the centre is being carried out as part of Daimler's overall strategy to focus on the Asian market, especially India and China, he added.

On introduction of new technologies, Daimler manager (emission) Michael Anger said the company has introduced a diesel filter in Europe to reduce emission of harmful particles from its cars.

"We are considering to introduce this filter in India. It will substantially minimise the emission of . . . harmful particles from a diesel car.

"The issue is availability of clean fuel, without which the technology will not work," he added.