Designworks, a subsidiary of BMW Group has helped introduce pioneering look into the future of mobility in Las Vegas: A backhoe vision of the future, developed in collaboration with John Deere, is being presented for the first time at CONEXPO-CON/AGG. The concept leverages emerging materials and technology innovations to reconfigure the traditional backhoe form and is the result of a unique research and design process called "Fixstern". To showcase the Fixstern Backhoe vision at the largest construction equipment trade show in the Americas, Designworks was also tasked by John Deere with the development of a unique augmented and virtual reality experience.

Designworks applied BMWs holistic and innovative research and design process "Fixstern" (fixed star) to the backhoe project. The process creates a far-future vision, a focal point that all stakeholders can share in common, align to, and drive towards. "BMW is continuously working on innovations to headline the radical change in our future mobility. Through Designworks we are able to share knowledge and inspire change and transformation in other industries, which is important not only with regards to product design or connectivity but especially when it comes to sustainable solutions for the future", says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design.

The demanding goals John Deere and Designworks established to highlight the key areas of advancement also illustrate the dualities the team had to overcome in the process: Designing a highly capable and robust future piece of equipment while reducing weight by a minimum of 20 percent and the equipment's environmental impact by a minimum of 10 percent; elevating the user experience through user interaction and improved interior spaciousness while satisfying differing regional markets and addressing changing market demands through flexibility and versatility while lowering the cost to manufacture.

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