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PressClub USA · Article.
BMW Saddened by the Loss of Safety Pioneer and Partner Jeffrey Augenstein, M.D., Ph.D.
Wed Feb 15 20:54:00 CET 2012 Press Release
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – February 15, 2012… BMW is deeply saddened by the loss of Jeffrey Augenstein, M.D., Ph.D., professor of surgery, director of the William Lehman Injury Research Center and a pioneer in the field of trauma injury research. Augenstein was passionate about reducing the risk of injury due to automobile accidents. He and his team worked closely with BMW engineers on the creation of enhanced Automatic Collision Notification which has been part of BMW Assist since 2009.
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – February 15, 2012… BMW is deeply saddened by the loss of Jeffrey Augenstein, M.D., Ph.D., professor of surgery, director of the William Lehman Injury Research Center and a pioneer in the field of trauma injury research. Augenstein was passionate about reducing the risk of injury due to automobile accidents. He and his team worked closely with BMW engineers on the creation of enhanced Automatic Collision Notification which has been part of BMW Assist since 2009.
Augenstein graduated from the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami in 1974 and spent his entire academic career on the campus of the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center. He was instrumental in the creation of the Ryder Trauma Center, which he directed for five years and, later, the William Lehman Injury Research Center. His work led to the development of an international research model for preventing deaths by treating injuries related to automobile accidents, innovations for training battlefield physicians to treat war casualties, information systems that enable physicians to care for patients more efficiently and safely as well as an international telemedicine program that allows doctors in Iraq, Afghanistan and Haiti to consult remotely with specialists at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center 24 hours a day.
“Jeff’s entire life was dedicated to saving lives,” said Klaus Kompass, Vice-President Vehicle Safety for the BMW Group. “I feel deeply honored to be able to say that not only was he a valued colleague and partner but that he had become a good friend as well.”
Augenstein worked closely with companies like BMW as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to incorporate ‘real-world’ crash data into the study of automobile related trauma and then integrate these findings into BMW vehicle development in order to improve accident survivability.
“Jeff was an incredibly gifted and compassionate physician who sacrificed his own personal comfort to bring comfort and safety to so many,” added Tom Baloga, Vice-President Engineering (US) for BMW. “It was an honor and privilege for BMW to support his life saving work and benefit from his wisdom.”
From early in his career, Augenstein was fascinated with how information systems could enable physicians to take care of patients more efficiently and safely. He directed the medical Computer Systems Laboratory for more than 35 years.
“Jeff was a true visionary. His ability to integrate medical knowledge and engineering principles greatly influenced automotive safety,” said Peter Baur, Head of Accident Research for BMW of North America. “BMW is proud to have turned his vision of crash data based prediction of injury severity into a reality. While he will be missed, we are committed to continuing to work with his vision as a guiding principle.”
Dr. Augenstein is survived by his wife Deborah as well as his mother, sister and stepfather.