TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – For Mercedes-Benz in Alabama, it all began with the M-Class, a groundbreaking automobile that’s credited with creating the premium SUV segment… Bharat Balasubramanian, a University of Alabama engineering professor who spent 15 years as head of engineering research and development at Mercedes, said it’s important for the state to maintain a competitive and skilled workforce that continues to innovate.
“I’m glad we still have the competitive spirit in automotive engineering, including the suppliers,” he said. “This is very important to society because without manufacturing jobs, you’re not going to be able to sustain a society over many generations just by doing design work and outsourcing it to the cheapest manufacturer.”