Regis Brignon, director of systems engineering operations at Renault Technology Korea. (Renault Korea Motors)

Renault Korea Motors, the South Korean unit of French automotive giant Renault Group, said Tuesday it has appointed Regis Brignon, a software and electrical systems specialist, to lead the development of its software-defined vehicles, or next-generation smart vehicles, for the Korean market.

Starting in February as the director of systems engineering operations at Renault Technology Korea, he will lead teams in developing next-generation technologies for future Renault models made in Korea, including autonomous driving capabilities, advanced driver assistance systems and connected vehicle services.

A key part of Brignon's mandate is heading up the Aurora project, Renault Korea's planned 2024 launch of a hybrid mid-size sports utility vehicle featuring semi-autonomous functionalities and other high-tech features.

Before joining Renault Korea, Brignon served as the head of research at Valeo, a Paris-based automotive supplier, where he led a team of over 200 researchers working closely with Renault Group and contributed to the adaptation of BMW's ADAS system. He also served as the global manager of electrical and electronics (EE) projects at the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

"With Regis Brignon onboard as our new software and EE systems lead, and with Emmanuel Al-Nawakil, who's got a solid track record in sales from automakers like Volkswagen, joining our sales force, we're really beefing up our team to elevate Renault's brand in Korea," said Stephane Deblaise, CEO of Renault Korea Motors.

The appointment aligns with Renalt Korea’s wider push to transform Renalt Technology Korea into a research center focused on design, electrification, and software-defined vehicles.

The company experienced a 38.5 percent decline in sales last year, most likely due to a lack of new vehicle launches. The company has declared 2024 the year to popularize hybrids, starting with last month's introduction of the affordable XM3 E-TECH model, which starts at as low as 27.95 million won ($21,000) with eco-friendly subsidies.

By Moon Joon-hyun (mjh@heraldcorp.com)