GM’s engines rev up on Israeli ingenuity
GM Israel site director Gil Golan and GM's VP for R&D, Dr. Alan Taub, next to an autonomous test vehicle called BOSS.
At its R&D center in Herzliya, General Motors looks to Israeli engineers for tomorrow's automotive technology, and invests in Israeli startups with exciting products to share.
What's good for General Motors is good for America - and good for Israel, as it turns out. The American auto giant has built a significant presence in Israel - both in research and development, and as a corporate organization.
"We have been building a global network for the past decade, opening offices and development centers in countries where technology that can help GM is being developed," says Israeli site director Gil Golan. "Israel has many good scientists and engineers, and several companies are working on technologies that will be important to GM's future."
Unlike most other multinationals that set up shop in Israel, General Motors has been working with Israeli partners since 1995 and opened a wholly owned corporate subsidiary in Herzliya in 2007 to concentrate on research and development.
"Most American corporations get involved with foreign markets via an acquisition or partnership," says Golan. "But in some markets, like Israel, there is so much going on that we can take advantage of, that it makes sense to establish a more permanent presence. We see Israel as a place where GM can grow strategically."