BMW Group Advances Physical AI and Humanoid Robots in Production
The BMW Group continues to advance digitalisation and artificial intelligence in production. A key focus is Physical AI, which combines digital artificial intelligence with real machines and robots. This approach enables intelligent systems, such as humanoid robots, to operate in real production environments.
The BMW Group has now introduced Physical AI in Europe for the first time, with a pilot project at its Leipzig plant that uses humanoid robots. The project aims to integrate humanoid robotics into existing car series production and to explore further uses in battery and component manufacturing.
“Digitalisation improves the competitiveness of our production – here in Europe and worldwide. The symbiosis of engineering expertise and artificial intelligence opens up entirely new possibilities in production,” said Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production.
Last year, the BMW Group completed a successful pilot with humanoid robots at its Spartanburg plant in the United States. The company now uses insights from that project to develop and scale Physical AI applications across its production network.
Artificial intelligence already plays a central role in the BMW Group production system. The company uses intelligent systems across almost every stage of manufacturing. These systems support the virtual factory through digital twins (virtual representations of physical assets), enable AI-driven quality control, and manage intralogistics—meaning the internal movement and management of materials—using autonomous transport solutions.
A unified IT and data model forms the foundation for effective artificial intelligence in production. The BMW Group has replaced isolated data silos with a unified data platform across its production system. This structure ensures that data remains consistent, standardised, and available at all times. Digital AI agents—that is, software systems that can make decisions on their own—can therefore manage increasingly complex tasks independently within demanding environments while continuing to learn and expand into new applications. Intelligent decision-making agents mark a significant shift in manufacturing. When these digital AI agents work alongside robots, they create the concept of Physical AI, the combination of artificial intelligence and physical robotics.
Michael Nikolaides, Senior Vice President, Production Network, Supply Chain Management at BMW Group, emphasised the importance of integrating new technologies early. Pilot projects are used to test and develop Physical AI, enabling AI-enabled robots to learn under real-world industrial conditions.
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence are key components of BMW iFACTORY, supporting adaptable, competitive automotive production.
The BMW Group continues to expand its automation portfolio by introducing Physical AI and humanoid robotics. The company views humanoid robots as a valuable complement to existing automated systems. These robots show strong potential in repetitive tasks, ergonomically demanding activities, and safety-critical environments. Their use aims to support employees and improve working conditions across the production line.
The company’s consistent production data platform also makes the BMW Group an attractive partner for technology companies that want to test Physical AI, particularly humanoid robotics, in real industrial environments. With the launch of the Centre of Competence for Physical AI in Production, the BMW Group has strengthened its expertise and created a structure that shares knowledge across the organisation.
The company follows a structured approach when evaluating new technologies. It assesses technology partners against defined maturity and industrialisation criteria before testing solutions through pilot projects under real production conditions. After an initial theoretical evaluation, engineers conduct laboratory testing at the manufacturer’s site using real BMW production scenarios to evaluate integration capability. Successful results lead to an initial deployment at a BMW Group plant and then to a full pilot phase.
In collaboration with Hexagon, a long-standing partner in sensor technology and software, the BMW Group has started its first European pilot project. Hexagon Robotics, based in Zürich, specialises in Physical AI and introduced its humanoid robot AEON in June 2025. After a theoretical evaluation and successful laboratory testing, the robot completed its first test deployment at BMW Group Plant Leipzig in December 2025. Engineers plan a further deployment from April 2026 to ensure full integration ahead of the pilot phase scheduled for summer 2026.
The Leipzig deployment focuses on testing the robot's multifunctional applications. AEON uses a human-like body design that supports a wide range of interchangeable hands, grippers, and scanning tools. The robot can also move dynamically on wheels. During testing and the pilot phase, teams will use the robot in high-voltage battery assembly and component manufacturing.
The world’s first deployment of humanoid robots at a BMW Group plant took place in 2025 at the Spartanburg facility in the United States. The BMW Group worked with the technology company Figure AI on this project. The results showed that Physical AI can deliver measurable value in real production conditions. Within ten months, the robot Figure 02 supported the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles. It worked ten-hour shifts from Monday to Friday. The robot removed and positioned sheet metal parts for the welding process, a task that requires high speed, precision, and physical effort. During the project, it moved more than 90,000 components and completed around 1.2 million steps across approximately 1,250 operating hours.
The pilot confirmed that humanoid robots can safely perform precise, repetitive tasks, such as positioning components with millimetre accuracy. It also produced valuable insights for future Physical AI deployments in automotive production.
During the early testing phases with Figure 02, the project team involved production IT infrastructure, occupational safety specialists, production process managers, and shop floor logistics teams from the beginning.
One key insight showed that the transition from laboratory testing to real production took less time than expected. Motion sequences trained in the laboratory transferred quickly into stable shift operations. Engineers integrated the robot into the BMW Smart Robotics ecosystem through standardised interfaces to ensure smooth interaction with existing systems.
The team deliberately selected the body shop in Spartanburg for testing because the area already operates with a high level of automation. Employees in this department have extensive experience integrating new technologies and processes. For example, automated smart transport robots already handle most material supply along the production line. The project team also communicated early and openly with employees to ensure transparency and encourage acceptance. Workers showed strong interest in the humanoid robots, which quickly became a normal part of daily work during the project.
The BMW Group and Figure now evaluate additional applications for deploying the Figure 03 robot.
Michael Nikolaides, Senior Vice President Production Network, Supply Chain Management at BMW Group: “Our aim is to be a technology leader and to integrate new technologies into production at an early stage. Pilot projects help us to test and further develop the use of Physical AI – that is, AI-enabled robots capable of learning – under real-world industrial conditions. The successful first deployment of humanoid robots at our BMW Group plant in Spartanburg in the USA proves that a humanoid robot can function not only under controlled laboratory conditions but also in an existing automotive manufacturing environment.”
Michael Ströbel, Head of Process Management and Digitalisation, Order to Delivery at BMW Group: “We are delighted to deploy a humanoid robot for the first time in a pilot project at a plant in Germany. Following evaluation by our Centre of Competence for Physical AI in Production, tests were carried out in the laboratory and at Plant Leipzig at the end of last year. This year, our focus is on step-by-step integration into our production system to explore a wide range of applications. The emphasis is on researching multifunctional use of the robot in various production areas, such as battery manufacturing for energy modules and component production for exterior parts. With Hexagon, we have found a proven long-standing partner with a highly innovative approach to humanoid robotics for this project.”
Felix Haeckel, Team Lead CoC Physical AI for Production: “At our new Centre of Competence for Physical AI in Production, we are pooling our expertise to make knowledge on AI and robotics widely usable within the company. In recent years, we have built an international team of experts dedicated to the gradual integration of AI into the existing production system, alongside in-house research and programming. At the same time, our team in Munich is driving its own robotics research to set up, support, and further develop pilot projects in the field of Physical AI at our plants.”
Arnaud Robert, President of Hexagon Robotics: “We are very pleased to be working with the BMW Group to advance the use of humanoid robots in real-world environments.”
