The BMW Technology Office is located in Silicon Valley. It's mission is "to co-develop leading-edge technologies for BMW automobiles with outstanding partners, and to transfer these innovations rapidly into BMW's product development process."

The office is divided into several groups. The communications, sensors, and embedded hardware group are work with powertrain controls and diagnostics. Many projects focus on the integration of new high-speed wireless, wired and optical bus communications protocols and implementation for in-vehicle and intra-vehicle use. The driver assistance technologies group is developing systems that will integrate precision navigation with vehicle control to obtain automatic vehicle adaptation. The human interface group is concerned with using methods such as voice command to link the driver with the car. The materials and manufacturing group investigates modern and innovative high-strength, lightweight materials and processes and methods of manufacture for these materials. The hardware/software systems design group is involved in the development of methodology and system design tools for distributed electronic systems in the car. The in vehicle computing and real time software group work with integrating portable computing platforms and other electronic systems with the car. Finally, the internet and e-commerce group explore how these tools can be used to in the areas of automotive manufacturing, distribution, sales, procurement and services.

About the Speaker:
Byron Shaw began his career in the automotive industry with General Motors Harrison Division (Delphi) following his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering at MIT. He was primarily responsible for advanced product development and integration, especially within GM's Opel vehicle division. Following his Master's in ME at MIT, he continued his career with Daimler Benz (DaimlerChrysler) research labs in Stuttgart, Germany as a visiting scientist in DC's combustion flow visualization lab. He left Daimler to attend further graduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley in the Vehicle Dynamics and Control Laboratory. His areas of focus are engine emissions modeling and control, high-speed embedded electronics and digital signal processing. His doctoral research is centered on reduction of cold-start emissions of automotive engines using real-time in-cylinder monitoring and feedback. He is currently at BMW's Technology Office in Palo Alto, CA, where he is Manager of Advanced Technology Deployment. Here he oversees the discovery and implementation of new and advanced technologies into the vehicle development process.

Time:

6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Social

7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Dinner

8:00 - 9:00 p.m. Presentation

Cost:

$25.00 Professionals

$10.00 Students

RSVP by Tuesday, April 10 to asme@me.berkeley.edu. Include your name and number of attendees.