Interesting and Informative... The Background Behind 1.5 Million Visitors to the Driving Center Over 10 Years

BMW Korea Yeongjongdo Driving Center Debuts in 2014
1,343 Vehicles Deployed, Cumulative 7.37 Million km Track Driving

When the German premium brand BMW first introduced its track driving center in Yeongjongdo, Incheon in 2014, the idea of freely driving high-performance cars was still a high barrier for the general public. It was largely perceived as the exclusive domain of professional drivers or a small group of experts.

Moreover, most existing tracks were located in areas difficult to access from the Seoul metropolitan area. Now, 10 years later, the perspective on cars and driving has changed significantly. The BMW Driving Center, which opened as Korea’s first automotive complex cultural space with a focus on “joyful driving,” has had a considerable influence.

BMW Driving Center Driving Track
Photo by BMW Korea

This facility is recognized as the only automotive complex cultural space among BMW’s global sites, including its headquarters in Germany. It is the third driving center established by BMW after Germany and the United States, and the first in Asia. This space demonstrates BMW headquarters’ strong commitment to the Korean market.

Joo Yang-ye, Head of Marketing at BMW Korea, said, “Over the past 10 years, we have contributed in various ways to BMW Group Korea’s efforts to provide diverse enjoyment to all visitors while fulfilling our social responsibilities. Moving forward, we will play a role in delivering the value of the BMW brand and products according to increasingly segmented customer patterns.”

BMW Driving Center in Yeongjongdo, Incheon [Photo by BMW Korea]

According to the company, more than 1.5 million people have visited since its establishment until the end of last month. Among them, nearly 240,000 customers participated in driving programs. Over the past decade, a total of 1,343 BMW and Mini vehicles have been deployed at the facility, accumulating a total driving distance of 7,371,933 km. Initially covering an area of 241,780 square meters?equivalent to 33 soccer fields?the center was expanded in 2019 to its current size.

The Junior Campus, a science creativity education facility for children operated by the BMW Korea Future Foundation, which is engaged in social contribution activities, is also located within the Driving Center. Since its opening, about 100,000 children and teenagers have visited to learn about the scientific principles behind automobiles. The BMW Charging Station, introduced in 2022, can charge 80 vehicles simultaneously, making it the largest electric vehicle charging facility in Korea.

Marking its 10th anniversary, the center has decided to update its facilities and programs. This is to meet the changing customer expectations as automotive technology and demand patterns evolve rapidly. A new brand slogan, “Joy Next,” has been introduced. The vehicle exhibition space has been made more open, allowing visitors to experience the brand’s characteristics more intuitively.

BMW Driving Center Off-road Course
Photo by BMW Korea

The driving programs have been redesigned to provide opportunities to experience high-performance electric vehicles, while also offering training on how to respond in emergency situations to help users become more familiar with electric cars. The Junior Campus programs have actively incorporated the latest technologies by introducing new facilities related to artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and eco-friendly vehicles.

Han Sang-yoon, CEO of BMW Group Korea, stated, “Our greatest value lies in understanding the Korean market, satisfying Korean customers, and contributing to them. We will do our best to lead the new automotive culture.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.