French carmaker Renault Group said it plans to reduce production costs by increasing its use of digital technology and artificial intelligence and announced plans to expand its presence in Turkey.
The company will invest 400 million euros by 2027 to produce four new models at its plant in Turkey's northwestern province of Bursa in cooperation with the Turkish concern OYAK Group, including a new low-cost Duster SUV.
As part of its "International Action Plan 2027", Renault said it aims to make Turkey an export hub for Europe and other countries around the world.
The company said it aims to reduce the production costs of its cars by up to 50% over the next four years by increasing the use of digital and artificial intelligence technologies.
In the period up to 2027, the company will aim to reduce its production costs per vehicle by 30% for internal combustion vehicles and by 50% for electric vehicles.
The automaker also wants to reduce vehicle development time from three years to two, the statement said.
Renault already uses more than 300 AI applications to identify car parts such as tires and improve quality control, and aims to increase the number to 3,000 by 2025.
Three of the new models to be produced at the Bursa plant will be designed to meet the needs of customers in the B and C SUV segments, the company said.
One of the featured models is the new Renault Duster, which will be available in Turkey with a hybrid engine option in the second half of 2024.
According to Fabrics Kamboliev, CEO of Renault, by 2027 a third of Renault's sales in Turkey should be electric or hybrid.
"We will turn our factory in Bursa into an export center not only for Europe, but also for other countries in the world," Kamboliev said at a meeting with the media in Istanbul./BGNES
