French carmaker Renault has said it plans to reduce its number of engineers by 15 to 20% percent in the coming two years.

This means that up to 2,400 of the current 11,000 to 12,000 engineers worldwide would have to leave the company.

A Renault spokesperson said the cuts would be made without forced layoffs.

The development of new technologies and fundamental design work would remain in France , he said.

Engineering centers in other countries such as Brazil, India, Morocco, Romania, South Korea, Spain and Turkey will also be reducing the number of engineering posts.

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