BMW expands R&D in China, boosts digital user experiences

BMW Group has amplified its research and development (R&D) presence in China with the inauguration of a new R&D Center in Shanghai. This expansion makes China the host of BMW’s most extensive R&D network outside Germany, encompassing Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Nanjing.

The new center integrates all of BMW’s R&D functions in China under one roof, promoting efficient collaboration and high-speed performance. This strategic move positions BMW to further implement its China strategy, with more than 3,200 designers, engineers, and software specialists working in the country.

BMW’s R&D and design teams in China are deeply involved in the development of the NEUE KLASSE models, the company’s next generation of all-electric vehicles. Several China innovations will become highlights of the upcoming NEUE KLASSE models.

The company’s emphasis on human-machine interaction and hardware-software integration is taking the digital user experience to the next level in China. Skylab, the human-machine interaction design team, is located in China and focuses on user experience design and research.

BMW’s China R&D team has been deeply involved in the design, development, testing, and validation of the locally-produced all-electric BMW i5. The company has established its first battery center outside of Germany in China in 2017, focusing on electrification technology development, product localisation, calibration, and validation.

The BMW Group Tech Office Asia-Pacific in Shanghai focuses on tech scouting of advanced technologies and innovations. BMW collaborates with tech giants such as Tencent, Alibaba, China Unicom, Navinfo, and Huawei, as well as China’s future tech innovators and top universities.