, ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁the ▁region ▁became ▁a ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁autom ot ive ▁industry ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁United ▁States . ▁Other ▁manufact ur ers ▁such ▁as ▁Toy ota , ▁H onda , ▁and ▁Hy und ai ▁subsequently ▁settled ▁in ▁Alabama ▁as ▁well . ▁T us cal o osa ▁still ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁temporary ▁home ▁for ▁many ▁Germ ans , ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama ▁in ▁T us cal o osa ▁even ▁has ▁a ▁German ▁Supp lement ary ▁School . ▁R ensch ler ▁has ▁also ▁established ▁an ▁academic ▁foundation . ▁The ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁plant ▁in ▁T us cal o osa ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁employ er ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁Besides ▁the ▁M - Class , ▁the ▁plant ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁manufact uring ▁the ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁R - Class ▁and ▁the ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁GL - Class ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁R ensch ler ▁is ▁also ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁T aken oko ▁student ▁exchange ▁project ▁between ▁Germany ▁and ▁Japan . ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Oliver ▁D ixon : ▁Inter view ▁with ▁Andreas ▁R ensch ler , ▁Autom ot ive ▁World , ▁February ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁( http :// www . autom ot ive world . com / news / com mer cial - ve h icles / 7 4 9 0 1 - inter view - and reas - r ensch ler - da im ler - board - of - management -