FROM LIFESTYLE TO LIFESCIENCE, BMW GROUP DESIGNWORKSUSA EXPANDS BREADTH OF DESIGN WORK TO HELP DESIGN HIGH-TECH EYE SURGERY SYSTEM FOR ADVANCED MEDICAL OPTICS (AMO)

Los Angeles, CA - June 11. In continuing its thirty-five years as a leading,
award-winning global design consultancy, BMW Group DesignworksUSA has expanded
the breadth of its innovative design work into the area of ophthalmic medical
devices with the Spring 2008 production of the Advanced Medical Optics' (AMO)
next generation eye surgery system-WHITESTAR Signature™. AMO-a global medical
device leader focused on the discovery and delivery of innovative vision
technologies that optimize the quality of life for people of all
ages-recognized the opportunity to establish a leadership position in the
cataract-removal market and approached the design firm to help create its next
generation surgery technology.

"Designing the WHITESTAR Signature™ system for Advanced Medical Optics was both
a challenging and fulfilling experience for our team," said Verena Kloos, BMW
Group DesignworksUSA President. "Every project we work on presents its own
unique challenges, along with a great sense of achievement upon tackling those
challenges. However, in expanding the breadth of our design work from a
typical lifestyle product to a very complex life science product, it was
especially gratifying for the team to know that their efforts would directly
result in improving the lives of others."

The WHITESTAR Signature™ system is an all-new premium surgical platform that
sets new industry standards, is more advanced than competitors' products and
cements AMO's leadership position. The device is not a laser, but rather works
with ultrasound to break up cataracts, which are an opacity of the crystalline
lens of the eye that leads to vision loss if untreated. Once broken up, the
device suctions the cataract, extracts it and allows for replacement with an
artificial lens by the ophthalmologist. The WHITESTAR Signature™ system
optimizes the procedure while giving physicians the tools to deliver optimal
patient outcomes in less time.

"We had successfully worked with AMO seven years prior and had helped produce
the SOVEREIGN™ System for eye surgery, a multi-award winner including a Gold
IDEA-a Design Distinction award from ID Magazine-and a MDEA Silver Award," said
Holger Hampf, BMW Group DesignworksUSA Director of Product Design. "We were
excited to have another opportunity to work with AMO on the next generation
machine."

As with the previous design program for AMO, DesignworksUSA began with
extensive design research to develop a strategy. The team observed how the
current equipment was being used by eye care professionals. Focus groups and
interviews with surgeons and nurses provided real-world feedback and inspired
numerous design innovations. The design team even had the opportunity to use
existing products to remove cataract-damaged lenses from simulation test eyes.
The on-site visits and focus groups proved to be very valuable in validating
both the product design and user interface direction.

The design language for the WHITESTAR Signature™ embraces deep usability
concepts and innovative ideas that developed from direct interaction with the
products' end users. The design team evolved the form and physical structure of
the machine, and working closely with AMO's engineers, developed a totem-like
verticality for the device. Mobility was increased with the addition of a
5-star caster base that also provided greater stability. Innovative handles
that wrap around the machine were added, providing the ability to grip and move
the equipment from several different points of access with multiple hand
positions. The essential foot pedal was redesigned to provide additional
comfort during procedures and incorporates a built-in charging dock.

Although the overall footprint of the device was reduced, the actual screen
interface was enlarged for greater visibility and ease of use during surgery.
Information design for the screen display was the primary challenge for
DesignworksUSA's Communication Design team. In a close collaboration with AMO,
the design team concentrated on analysis of information types, work flow order
and prioritization. The meta-goal was to reduce the display of information to a
single-frame environment, in which all information could be readily accessible
at all times. "We created a unique GUI that interpreted AMO's brand with a
whole new logic structure, " says Monika Zych, BMW Group DesignworksUSA
Director of Communication Design. "The device offers more features and
functionality, but the interface is simpler and easier to use." This approach
to the visual design on the screen allows the nurse to interact quickly during
procedures, making adjustments as required, with complex preferences
intuitively usable and just a touch away.

"I'm very pleased with the resulting design for this premium product," said
Hampf. "It is a true demonstration of the value of a design effort from start
to finish all under one roof. Without expertise in product design, user
interface, engineering, modeling and more, we would not have been able to
produce the needed design."

AMO released the WHITESTAR Signature™ system production version this Spring and
early feedback on the system has been extremely positive.

BMW Group DesignworksUSA
With offices in Los Angeles, Singapore and Munich, BMW Group DesignworksUSA is
a subsidiary of BMW Group with diverse and cross-functional expertise in the
field of design strategy, design research, brand communications, color,
materials, and finish, product development, 3D modeling and engineering.
Beyond its automotive design work for BMW Group, the design consultancy is
commissioned by a large number of leading companies working in the
transportation, consumer electronics, medical, consumer packaged goods, and
lifestyle industries. More information can be found at: www.designworksusa.com

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW
Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial
service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including
motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars;
DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in
Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW
Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global
manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4
models, X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and the X6 Sports Activity Coupe. The BMW
Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW
passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW
motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor
Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for
North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet
at:

www.bmwgroupna.com
www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

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to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address:
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