BMW is testing the use of humanoid robots in car production

Robots have been an integral part of production in automobile factories for decades – albeit in the form of classic industrial systems that are specialized in individual work steps. BMW now wants to let humanoid robots wander through its factory halls. Figure AI

Cooperation with Figure AI

Tesla recently attracted attention with its own development. BMW, on the other hand, is relying on a Figure AI robot. The Figure 02 robot has hands with sixteen degrees of freedom and a strength equivalent to that of a human.

We are excited to introduce Figure 02, our second generation humanoid robot, which was recently successfully tested at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg. Figure 02 features significant engineering advancements that enable the robot to perform a wide range of complex tasks completely autonomously. Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure AI

Figure 02: Humanoid robot being tested in BMW production

In an initial project, BMW tested how a humanoid robot can be integrated into the production process – how it communicates with the production line software and human employees and what requirements are necessary to incorporate robots into everyday production.

Take on heavy work

The Figure robot was given the task of inserting sheet metal parts into fixtures that are part of the manufacturing process of a chassis. According to BMW, this required special dexterity and is an ergonomically unfavorable and strenuous task for humans. The first test has now been completed and the robot is currently no longer in use in Spartanburg.

According to BMW, there is “no concrete timetable” for the integration of humanoid robots into the production lines. “The developments in the field of robotics are very promising. With an early test operation, we are now identifying possible areas of application for humanoid robots in production. We want to accompany this technology from development to industrialization,” explained Milan Nedeljković, member of the BMW Board of Management and responsible for production.