BMW Racing Wheelchair for U.S. Paralympics Track and Field
As part of our commitment to advancing athletic performance through technology, BMW has designed a new racing wheelchair that the U.S. Paralympic Track & Field Team will use in competition during the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Our design team has collaborated closely with the U.S. Paralympic Track & Field team to identify and address the need for advancements in the team's racing equipment.
The racing wheelchair's advancements will include a complete redesign of the chassis, application of BMW's signature aerodynamic efficiencies, enhanced athlete restraint, carbon fiber durability, as well as steering and braking advancements. In the months leading up to the 2016 Paralympic Games, BMW will continue to work closely with the athletes and coaches to refine and enhance the design of the racing wheelchair and supporting Team USA along the Road to Rio.
BMW Motion Tracking Technology for USA Swimming
BMW is proud to continue their collaboration with USA Swimming in an effort to improve performance through innovative technology. Using the same technology found in BMW's autonomous driving systems, BMW has helped develop a motion tracking system for USA Swimming. After mounting LEDs onto a swimmer's wrists, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and toes, the system captures the cadence of a swimmer's kick and streamline angle of the pull - providing performance data for coaches to analyze. This technology helps evaluate how major and minor adjustments in form and technique can affect overall performance.
The BMW Olympic Bobsled
BMW is using their vehicle technology and engineering to create tools that will help improve performance. They collaborated with the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation to redesign Team USA's two-man bobsled. Designers leveraged the principles of BMW EfficientDynamics—advanced mobility solutions that improve efficiency without sacrificing performance—to create the new bobsled. It's constructed with lightweight carbon fiber, the same intelligent material that the electric BMW i Concept vehicles boast. At the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, the BMW-designed two-man bobsled clinched the Silver and Bronze medals for the Team USA women, and helped the men end a 62-year medal drought by securing Bronze.
BMW has also helped develop a motion tracking system has been created for USA Swimming. It automatically captures the power of a swimmer's kick and pull and then provides a performance data analysis for coaches. This new technology helps evaluate how major and minor adjustments in form and technique affect overall performance.