ika blog

, Cycle Divisions BMW recently reengineered its distribution process to reduce costs and improve response time for dealers and parts vendors. The company had used two private facilities for the distribution of new parts, motorcycles and core-parts returns. When new-parts sales began to expand, BMW sought a third-party logistics partner with the expertise and resources to manage domestic distribution of motorcycles and returns of core parts such as engines and alternators. The company chose Kuehne + Nagel, which leveraged its nationwide warehouse network to implement an efficient, cost-effective solution.  (NOTE: the contract originated with former Kuehne + Nagel subsidiary, USCO Logistics).

BMW motorcycles are distributed from two Kuehne + Nagel locations in New Jersey and California. Each facility inspects all motorcycles for damage upon receipt. Kuehne + Nagel then stores the motorcycles by model number, color and vehicle identification number, and ships 99 percent of all orders same-day to dealers nationwide. Access to BMW’s electronic inventory system enables Kuehne + Nagel to check status of inbound shipments and report dealer deliveries.

Stay in touch at the touch of a button Purchasing a BMW has always assured you of a car built using the very latest advances in technology, performance and safety. These same principles have now been applied to in-car communications, allowing you to access key information throughout your journey. BMW ConnectedDrive is integrated with the BMW Navigation and telephone systems in your car. It allows you to make an emergency SOS call or connect with information on services and facilities near to your location at the touch of a button.

Immediate assistance in an emergency To ensure you receive help quickly in an emergency, BMW Emergency SOS links you directly to a 999 call centre. Once you’ve registered your details you’ll be able to summon help by manually pressing the emergency SOS button to be connected to an emergency call centre operator.

If you are ever in a situation where you are unable to call for help yourself, you have the peace of mind that BMW ConnectedDrive will automatically make an emergency SOS call. The automatic call is made in extreme situations such as when the crash or airbag sensors are activated.Whether an emergency call has been made manually or automatically, details of your vehicle and location will be sent to the 999 call centre to ensure immediate action is taken.

Vanity/visor ?
Map/interior ?
Headlights ?
Fog lights ?
Turn signals ?
Hazard flasher ?
Parking/side marker ?
Brake lights (3) ?
Back-up lights ?
Plate lights ?
Dash and console ?
Door lock ?
Seat heater(s) ?
Power window(s) ?
Cigarette lighter(s) ?
Power sunroof ?
Rear sun shade ?

The gaming industry – a sector that can deservedly adorn itself with attributes such as visionary creativity, innovation and progressiveness. However, who inspires the gaming industry and how does one set trends in a sector that is in itself the embodiment of progressive thinking and imaginativeness? One answer to that question is currently being given by BMW Group DesignworksUSA, with the presentation of a design concept for a high-end gaming tower prototype that was inspired by the gaming world itself.

BMW Group DesignworksUSA, a 100% subsidiary of the BMW Group, has for many years shaped the global design landscape working for a multitude of industries. In addition to creating yachts, trains, aircraft, lifestyle and IT products, the three studios in Munich, California and Singapore are also engaged with design concepts aimed at transforming visions into reality. One of these concepts is named “Level 10” for Thermaltake, a manufacturer of computer housings and components for individually configurable high-end computers.

Automotive Alcantara, Aral, Bosch, Boysen, Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Harman-Becker, Michelin, NavTeq, Osram, Swizöl, Total Fashion/Accessoires Jaques Britt, Eduard Dressler, Eterna, E. Zegna, Ferragamo, Land’s End, Loro Piana, Marc O’Polo, Versace Telecommunications Alice, Nokia, O2, Samsung, Sony Ericsson Finances Commerzbank, Credit Suisse, Dresdner Bank, Kreditbank Luxemburg, LGT Bank Liechtenstein, Union Investment, VP Bank

Perfume + Cosmetics Chopard, Davidoff, E. Zegna, Giorgio ArmaniTourism Allgäu Tourism, British Tourist Authority, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Kempinski, various Hotels, Ontario Tourism, Schweiz Tourism, Tahiti Tourism Consumer Electronics Bang&Olufsen, Bose, Harman-Becker, Harman-Kardon, Konica Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Technisat Watches/Jewellery Breitling, Bulgari, Certina, Corum, Frederique Constant, Girard-Perregaux, Longines, Mido, Noor Jewels, Omega, Rolex, Tutima, Ulysse Nardin, Union Glashütte, Wellendorff Home Interior Bega, Bulthaup, De Longhi, Duravit, Ekornes, Gaggenau, Garpa, Jura, Kampa, Konior, Leicht, Liebherr, Saeco, Swissflex, WMF

The BMW Advanced Training division was looking for an enterprise solution that would provide a platform for regular communication and interaction without the necessity of face- to-face contacts between trainer and trainee. The collaboration should take place in a collective virtual environment. The deciding factors for choosing teamspace of 5 POINT AG as BMW collaboration tool was  among other things the easy implementation and the high user-friendliness of 5 POINT?s solution. It enabled BMW employees to use teamspace without any special training, which makes the transition to working with a collaboration tool much easier.

The main field of application of teamspace at BMW is in advanced training in the human resources division. In the context of Blended Learning, teamspace is used in all kinds of seminars and workshops to enable a close tutoring of each trainee by their trainers after the initial training is finished and to give the trainees easy access to all relevant information. Apart from advanced training teamspace is used in every part of the company where internal projects with one or more external partners have to be coordinated. One example is the R&D division, where BMW employees use teamspace to collaborate with partners from different suppliers.

How to get more insight into possible human injuries in car crashes? How to reproduce the complex interaction of the human with the vehicle to design safer restraint systems?  All these issues are at the heart of BMW Group’s research for optimized protective equipments.

Full-scale crash tests use dummies to assess the  likelihood of injury to a living human occupant. Providing valuable insight into crash dynamics and  occupant kinematics, numerical simulation with dummy models is commonly used for safety features design. But as dummies have to fulfill the requirements of technical measuring devices, like  durability and repeatability, they do not always adequately reproduce the complexity of the human body, and its interaction with the vehicle.

Looking forward to improve the biofidelity of design tools, BMW and the Institute for Forensic Medicine in Munich are using PAM-SAFETM and finite element models to investigate the differences between the physical dummy and the human body.

High availability and load balancing were important requirements because the device selected would be charged with handling all of BMW Group’s web-based applications. In the initial pilot phase, two key applications were tested: one that would allow employees to self-service their Human Resource information (i.e. time sheets, expenses, etc.), and the other being a parts system application used in the development of automobiles.

The BMW Group’s US operations will not take 44,000 new BMW brand cars and SUVs that were to be allo- cated to the market this year, said Jim O’Donnell, CEO of BMW (US) Hold- ing Corp. Those vehicles will go to markets where they can be sold more profitably, he said. The US has been BMW Group’s and BMW brand’s No. 1 sales market since 2003. The smaller sales target is part of a bigger rethinking of US strategy that O’Donnell will present to his German bosses in January.
That plan could include the rein- troduction of four-cylinder power- trains, O’Donnell said. Currently, the smallest powerplant in the BMW brand’s US lineup is a six-cylinder engine. In an interview last week, O’Don- nell said he will: ? Cut lease volume at least 10 per- centage points ? Reduce incentive spending and end the traditional December blowout ? Change dealer bonuses to boost customer satisfaction ? Cut corporate costs. O’Donnell says he will eliminate 90 North Ameri- can jobs. “We want to see how the market is going and will revisit our aspirations in January,” said O’Donnell, 58. The Scot took the helm at BMW in April. “When you have had 16 years of growth, you do not necessarily look…

Boat Type: Trimaran of carbon composite construction

Where Built: Core Builders, Anacortes, WA, USA

Hours to build: over 130,000 hours to date

Overall Length: 100-feet/30 meters

Waterline Length: 90-feet/27 meters

Beam: 90-feet/27 meters