The research and development (R&D) center established by the global automotive giant Mercedes-Benz at its truck factory in Turkey's central province of Aksaray has become the "only center" of the German automaker Daimler AG that provides truck road tests and engineering services throughout the world.

The center is one of Mercedes-Benz Türk's most important developments in 2018. The construction of the new R&D center, whose foundation was laid at the company's factory last year with an investment of 8.4 million euros, has been completed, according to a statement by Mercedes-Benz Türk.

With the said investment, Aksaray province has been included in the global network of R&D centers in Germany, the United States, Brazil, India, China and Japan by Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz Türk.

The auto manufacturer's Aksaray Truck Factory has the title of being the biggest employment resource of the region with more than 2,000 employees and its sub-industry.

Mercedes-Benz Türk has significantly contributed to the Turkish economy since 1986 in terms of investment in Central Anatolia, production, exports and employment.

In the center, the latest milestone in the 51 years of the company's adventure in the country, 251 Turkish engineers will continue their work specific to the truck product group.

The center will be the start and the end point of the tests of all trucks carrying the Mercedes-Benz star. 8,000 square meters of the total area of 40,000 square meters of the center is closed, with the rest being the open area.

Thanks to the virtual reality and mixed reality technologies used in the new R&D center, which was equipped consonantly with requirements of the Industry 4.0, R&D engineers working all over the world within the global network of Daimler can work together at the same time.

Mercedes-Benz Türk CEO Süer Sülün recalled that in 2016, the 30th anniversary of the Aksaray Truck Factory, they announced the investment plan of 113 million euros to boost the production and employment capacities.

Sülün said the center will serve with a capacity of 215 people in all the research and development processes from vehicle concept to construction, including simulation and vehicle tests.

"Our engineers will provide truck road tests and engineering services throughout the world. We are proud that we will be providing engineering services to the world from Aksaray," Sülün noted.

Mercedes-Benz Türk R&D Director Mustafa Üstertuna said at the new center, the truck and truck parts will be tested by engineers using the latest technological equipment and software and will be tested for reliability and function in routes reflecting customer usage and real road conditions.

The parts and tools completed at the Aksaray R&D center have been approved to be valid in all parts of the world, Üstertuna continued.

"Our R&D engineers, who are able to exchange information with different teams within the Daimler's global network in a virtual environment, are having an opportunity to develop future technology within the global ecosystem in Turkey at the same time," he said.

"While important steps are being taken for the development of our truck and bus sector with our R&D works, we are providing an opportunity for the sub-industry firms to be included in Daimler AG's international portfolio, thus paving the way for opening of export ways from Turkey to the world. In sum, while contributing to Turkey's potential, we are exporting engineering to the whole world from Turkey," Üstertuna concluded.