BMW teams up with QUT on industrial design tech

German automaker BMW has this week partnered with the Queensland University of Technology to train students on emerging industrial design tools including virtual and augmented reality, big data, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.

The initiative will result in opportunities for students in QUT’s Creative Industries Faculty to travel to BMW’s Munich headquarters to develop their technical skills in the car manufacturer’s new autonomous systems and robotics labs.

The memorandum of understanding, signed by BMW’s head of IT Planning Systems Jimmy Nassif and QUT Creative Industries’ executive dean Mandy Thomas, also has scope for different faculties at QUT to undertake applied research and development projects in BMW facilities in Germany, along with provisions for staff exchanges across a number of areas.

The Australian Centre for Robotic Vision, hosted at QUT, is also joining in the collaboration to bolster discussions around autonomous vehicles and robotics.

This isn’t the first collaboration between the automotive heavyweight and the Brisbane university, with a number of students having already completed work placements and internships at the car manufacturer.

Thomas said the first industrial design intern to be placed with BMW, Dylan Sheppard, has since been offered a lifetime contract with the company.

“The establishment of a design partnership in Brisbane will provide extraordinary opportunities for QUT design students,” she added.

“They will follow in the footsteps of 16 students who have gone through the BMW internship program over the past three years, including 12 paid positions based in Munich.

“The students have been able to work across various BMW Innovation departments working with cutting-edge emerging technologies such as VR, AR, robotics, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and big data.”