Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) has chosen DesignworksUSA, the design consultancy and subsidiary of BMW Group, to create the “Fleet of the Future”—a new generation of train cars expected to be put in service by 2017.
The new train cars will enhance the overall quality of the BART public transit system, and will offer passengers a premium ridership experience.
BART, the Bay Area’s regional transit provider, has been transporting passengers since 1972. However, most of the original train cars are still in use today, giving BART the distinction of having the oldest train fleet in the US. BART is the fifth largest all-rail train system in the country.
DesignworksUSA will handle the overall structure of the shape and style for both the exterior and interior of the trains’ cars, including plans that call for a redesign of the train operator’s cab.
“We are passionate about creating innovative solutions for mobility in increasingly dense urban centers, like the Bay Area, and we are excited to get our collaborative partnership with BART underway,” stated Laurenz Schaffer, President of BMW Group DesignworksUSA, in a recent press release.
Selected for their expertise in creating premium design and user experiences, not only in trains, but also in the areas of aviation and automotives, DesignworksUSA will bring a client list that includes Coca Cola, Dassault Aviation, Embraer, John Deere, HEAD, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Siemens, Intermarine, and Varian Medical Systems.
Acquired by BMW in 1995, DesignworksUSA has been driving innovation for nearly 40 years. Likewise, BMW has been at the forefront of innovation since its founding in 1916.
Through DesignworksUSA, BMW has been able to expand its creative consulting services to many areas beyond the traditional auto industry. As these two great, creative forces work together, the possibilities are becoming endless.
