(Yicai Global) Oct. 15 -- French auto parts maker Valeo plans to build its largest ever research and development facility in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

The Valeo China R&D Center will include 14,000 square meters of office space and employ over 1,000 top-tier research workers, provincial news outlet Hubei Daily reported.

Based in the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone, the facility extends the Paris-based firm's existing research hub in the city, built in 2017. The new center will focus on automated parking solutions for complex parking scenarios and Valeo hopes to have its products in Chinese cars sometime next year.

The company pumped CNY55 million (USD7.8 million) into the original facility, which spans 8,000 square meters. It mainly researches headlight technology, vehicle comfort and assisted driving.

Founded in 1923 in Saint Ouan, Valeo has 186 production bases and dozens of research labs spanning 33 countries. It lists Mercedes, BMW, Ford, Nissan and Honda among its customers and earned EUR19.3 billion (USD21.3 billion) in revenue last year.

The firm entered China as early as 1994 with a local joint venture producing automotive air conditioning systems in Hubei. The country is now its largest single market, with sales making up a quarter of its global total last year and continuing to rise fast.

Editor: James Boynton