Bosch, Europe's largest car-parts supplier, has announced the establishment of an automotive research and development centre in Limerick, which will see the creation of 30 jobs over the next two years.
The centre will focus on developing semiconductor products as well as automotive electronics, the company said.
“The establishment of Bosch’s automotive R&D centre in Limerick recognises the increased demand for semiconductors as cars evolve to become sustainable, safer and more exciting,” it said.
“The location in Ireland’s mid-west has a rich history in the design and development of semiconductor products, going back almost 50 years. More recently the region is emerging as a hub for automotive software and system development,” Bosch said.
Initial development at the facility will include integrated circuits (IC) for 77GHz radar sensors, which has applications for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as automatic emergency braking, collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control, as well as radar technologies for automated driving.
Oliver Wolst, senior vice-president for development of integrated circuits, Bosch, said: "We're very excited about the possibilities that this new facility will provide to us. Bosch is a global leader when it comes to investment in research and development, and this new facility in Ireland demonstrates our commitment to working with the best engineering talent to develop the most advanced technology for our customers."
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said Ireland was recognised as a global hub for leading technology innovators like Bosch. "This new automotive R&D centre will help them to benefit from our rich talent pool in the mid-west."
The mayor of Limerick city and county, Daniel Butler, said the announcement “shows that Limerick can compete and win investments in a global competitive marketplace. . . This highlights how important our third-level sector is in producing the right engineering talent with the right qualifications for the jobs available.”
He said the moves reinforced the county’s reputation “as a centre for software and automotive systems industry, something that we can leverage as we develop our employment opportunities into the future”.
