BMW sent a humanoid robot to work at a factory in Germany
BMW Group is launching a pilot project with humanoid robots at its plant in Leipzig. The goal of the project is to integrate humanoid robotics into the serial production of vehicles and explore further possibilities for its application in the production of batteries and components.
What is known
Last year, BMW Group successfully implemented a pilot project with humanoid robots at its plant in Spartanburg, USA. The data obtained is used for further development and scaling of physical artificial intelligence and robotics.
Over ten months, the Figure 02 robot from Figure AI ensured the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles, working ten hours a day from Monday to Friday. Figure 02 carried out precise removal and positioning of sheet metal parts for the welding process—a task that is especially challenging in terms of speed and accuracy and is physically tiring. In total, it moved more than 90,000 components and performed about 1.2 million steps in approximately 1250 working hours.
The pilot project confirmed that humanoid robots can safely perform precise, repetitive work operations with millimeter precision.
In Leipzig, BMW uses the AEON robot from Hexagon (pictured above). The main focus is on testing the multifunctional application of the robot. The humanoid body of AEON allows for the flexible attachment of hand and grip elements, as well as scanning tools, and ensures dynamic use on wheels. During testing and at a later stage of the pilot project, the robot will be used for the assembly of high-voltage batteries and in component production.
The second phase of test deployment is planned for April 2026. The actual pilot phase will begin in the summer of 2026.
Source: BMW
