Manufacturing / Automaker
BMW: Humanoid robots on the production floor
- Company
- BMW
- Country
- Germany
- Adoption stage
- Pilot
- Source published
- Date basis
- The date the source was published. It can differ from the date adoption started.
- How the source was checked
- Read the full source text
The work problem
Work that is monotonous, ergonomically demanding or safety critical remains on BMW Group production floors. Placing sheet metal parts for the welding process in the body shop is one such example. This work demands both speed and accuracy while also straining the body.
Technology and data
BMW Group, together with Figure AI, deployed the humanoid robot Figure 02 at the Spartanburg plant in the United States to position sheet metal parts for welding in the body shop. As the next step it said it will deploy the successor model Figure 03 for sequencing work in logistics. In sequencing, the robot picks parts that arrive jumbled in a large container and arranges them on a sequencing trolley. The trolley is moved to a set collection point, an automated tow tractor or a Smart Transport Robot carries it to the assembly position, and assembly staff receive the parts in order. Figure 03 has soft components for safety, wireless charging, speech-to-speech voice capability, and hands with tactile sensors and cameras in the palm.
Results
BMW Group said that at Spartanburg in 2025, Figure 02 supported the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles over ten months. The company explained that this collaboration confirmed humanoid robots can safely carry out precise, repeated work under real production conditions. Figure AI founder Brett Adcock said eleven months of running Figure 02 proved that humanoids are no longer a laboratory experiment.
Limits and open questions
The sequencing work with Figure 03 is only now starting. The source has no throughput or quality figures for sequencing work.
Sources
- BMW Group treibt mit Figure-03-Projekt in Spartanburg den Einsatz von Physical AI in der Produktion voranpress.bmwgroup.com, Accessed
Compiled from public sources. These are not results from ATF Works customers.