Humanoid Robots Figure 02 "Retire" After 11 Months of Work at BMW Factory

American company Figure AI announced the completion of a pilot project at the BMW plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After 11 months of working on the assembly line, the company officially "retired" the series of humanoid robots Figure 02 (F.02). As part of this project, they participated in the manufacturing processes related to the assembly of BMW X3 crossovers. According to the company, during the deployment period, they helped produce over 30,000 cars and handled over 90,000 sheet metal parts.

What is Known

After a test period lasting several weeks, the robots were integrated into the factory's shift work. According to official data, they worked a standard schedule of 10 hours a day, five days a week.

Throughout the entire operation period, each robot covered approximately 200 miles (≈ 322 km) on the premises of the enterprise and worked over 1,250 hours. It is noted that the robots' action accuracy exceeded 99%, and the integration process occurred gradually from single tasks to full-scale work on the production line.

Special attention was given to the technical problems encountered. In particular, the forearm proved to be a weak point, where limited space led to cooling and cable connection reliability challenges. According to developers, these problems were considered when designing the next generation of robots.

The company released a video of the F.02 robots showing signs of wear after several months of work on the conveyor. CEO Brett Adcock called this "a real application." These images aim to dispel skepticism about the scale of the Figure project at BMW. Dirt and scratches became symbols that the robots truly worked in production. Figure noted that visual proof along with performance metrics confirms the long-term use of robots.

The Figure 02 robots will no longer be used in production, and instead, the company is preparing a new Figure 03 model for a larger-scale deployment. It features an updated architecture: instead of dynamic cabling in the wrists, a direct connection is used between motor controllers and the central computer. According to engineers, this technical solution is intended to enhance reliability and simplify maintenance.

In a press release, the company describes Figure 02 as a learning stage that allowed understanding what is needed to deliver a finished product to customers. The project was a preparatory step for the industrial implementation of new versions.

Figure AI is an example of testing humanoid robots in a real production environment. In 2025, other companies are also working on similar platforms:

• Tesla is developing the humanoid Optimus,
• Agility Robotics is testing Digit at logistics facilities,
• Sanctuary AI and 1X Technologies are working on robots for service and light manufacturing sectors.

Figure AI plans to continue developing the Figure line based on the experience gained during the integration of F.02 at the BMW plant.

Source: Figure AI