Mercedes eyes closer ties with Samsung, SK and LG: New CTO

At a moment when supply chains have become a decisive force shaping the global automotive industry, Jörg Burzer, Mercedes-Benz’s newly appointed chief technology officer (CTO), chose Korea as his priority destination.

Jorg Burzer, Mercedes-Benz’s newly appointed chief technology officer, speaks during an interview with the Korean press on Jan. 15 in central Seoul. [MERCEDES-BENZ KOREA]

[INTERVIEW]

At a moment when supply chains have become a decisive force shaping the global automotive industry, Jörg Burzer, Mercedes-Benz’s newly appointed chief technology officer (CTO), chose Korea as his priority destination.

Burzer arranged a series of meetings with major Korean companies, including Samsung, SK and LG, seeking to cooperate across batteries, displays and semiconductors — technologies increasingly central to the future of mobility.

“Korea is an extremely important market for us not only from a selling cars perspective but also in terms of the supplies and the supply partners for technologies,” said Burzer, who assumed his role as CTO on Dec. 1. He also spearheads overall development processes and procurement at the German luxury brand.

“With Samsung, SK, LG, we will discuss, obviously not only batteries, but also on the semiconductor side, and we have a lot of discussions also on the display side,” he added. “I'm very much looking forward to intensifying all the cooperation with Korea.”

Mercedes-Benz already sources batteries from LG Energy Solution and SK On, though it does not yet have a supply agreement with Samsung SDI. Beyond conventional battery supply, the talks have also opened the door to potential collaboration on solid-state battery technology, widely viewed as the next frontier in electric vehicles.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang introduces the Alpamayo AI model, which will be applied in the newest Mercedes-Benz CLA, during his presentation at CES 2026 in Las Vegas on Jan. 6. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Burzer’s remarks come as Mercedes recently established a new Asia-Pacific Procurement and Supplier Management office in Seoul, underscoring the company’s strategic pivot toward the region.

The organization will oversee procurement and supplier quality management across the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on Korea and Japan, while also covering major Southeast Asian markets. It is designed to serve as a strategic bridge linking the company’s global procurement headquarters with regional operations.

“I really appreciate not only the Korean society but also the high level of innovation, and our partners in the supply industry can provide,” he said. “The Korean market is obviously important for us. In terms of supply relation, this is a little bit unique.”

Burzer also addressed Mercedes’ expanding partnership with Nvidia, following a surprise announcement at CES 2026 unveiling the autonomous-driving AI system Alpamayo, which he said would be rolled out across “all our lines.”

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the first model equipped with the system would be the Mercedes-Benz CLA, calling it “the safest car in the world.”

“Nvidia has very powerful chips, and their system is very safe,” he said, adding that their cooperation began about six years ago.

“The key is that we are the first who are applying Nvidia autonomous AI and bringing it to the market," he said. "It will take some time for other competitors.”

The Nvidia’s Alpamayo AI-powered CLA is set to launch on U.S. roads later this year, followed by Europe next year and Asia beginning in 2028.

A Korean launch, however, remains uncertain due to the absence of relevant regulatory frameworks.

The CTO also reaffirmed his strong commitment to electrification, even as many automakers recalibrate their strategies amid a temporary slowdown in electric-vehicle demand.

“I'm convinced that electric mobility is the way to go,” Burzer said.

“But we always have the strategy to be flexible as we deliver to more than 100 markets,” he added. “We should let customers decide [either on combustion engines and EVs], and we have to provide the best products for the customer’s requirements.”

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]