Based out of Newbury Park, CA, Designworks was acquired by BMW Group in 1995. The company has more than 40 years of industrial design experience, working on notable projects like redesigning 3D printers for Stratasys, designing hydrogen refueling stations for Shell, and collaborating with John Deere on the backhoe of the future.
For its latest project, the company worked with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA) and Virgin Hyperloop One to create a prototype design for the Hyperloop capsule that will go from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 12 minutes – right now, the trip will take you 90 minutes in a car.
The glamorous pod was unveiled earlier this year and received rave reviews as part of Innovation Month in the United Arab Emirates. Once the track is completed, the passenger capsules will be electromagnetically propelled through a vacuum tube at speeds up to 671 mph.
The biggest challenge for the design team was to make the seats comfortable and engaging, which was challenging given the fact that the pods don’t have windows. And since the pods are going so fast, passengers have to remain seated for the duration of the trip. We're only talking 12 minutes, but Designworks tried to make the very restrictive environment into a personal and uplifting sensory experience.
They achieved this through a combination of light, displays, and comfort. For example, first-class passengers have leather seats, and touchscreens to control both the brightness and color of the light. Some guys just prefer to travel in pink, but blue is also an option. The seats also include temperature control as well as a little infotainment.
Now, you know that you’re dealing with an industrial design company, because instead of simply saying that you’re in for a better ride, BMW promises a “more sophisticated and user-centered spatial experience that transcends the typical utilitarian notion of public transportation.” That means it has yet to accrue the body fluids typically found on other public transit systems.
Ticket prices haven’t been released yet, but the project could cost $4.8 billion, or $52 million per mile. Hyperloop is currently working on a feasibility study in the United States. One potential route would connect Kansas City and St. Louis.