BMW Deploys Humanoid Robots in German Factory
BMW is expanding its humanoid robotics program, launching a pilot at its Leipzig, Germany plant after a successful trial in the U.S. At its South Carolina factory, Figure AI's robots logged over 1,250 hours and moved more than 90,000 parts. BMW is emphasizing that the robots are meant to support workers on hazardous or repetitive tasks, not replace them.
The Leipzig deployment builds on a 2025 pilot at BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, where a Figure 02 robot supported the production of over 30,000 vehicles in 10 months. The robot operated for roughly 1,250 hours, moving more than 90,000 sheet metal parts for welding. This initial phase focused on identifying viable use cases before any large-scale integration. The robot at the center of the German pilot is the AEON, developed by Hexagon Robotics, a division of BMW's long-standing sensor and software partner, Hexagon. The AEON robot, unveiled in June 2025, will be tested in high-voltage battery assembly and component manufacturing, with a full pilot planned for the summer of 2026. Figure AI, founded in 2022 by serial entrepreneur Brett Adcock, has rapidly advanced its Figure 01 and 02 models. The company has attracted significant investment, raising $675 million in a February 2024 funding round from backers including Jeff Bezos, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and an OpenAI-affiliated fund, reaching a $2.6 billion valuation. Subsequent funding in 2025 reportedly pushed its valuation to $39 billion. The Figure 01 robot stands 1.68 meters tall, weighs 60 kg, and can carry a 20 kg payload, with a battery that lasts for about five hours. Its AI system, originally developed with OpenAI, enables it to process language and reason, though Figure has since developed its own proprietary AI. This allows the robots to be integrated into existing factory layouts designed for humans, minimizing costly infrastructure changes. Despite rapid progress, significant engineering hurdles remain for widespread humanoid deployment. Key challenges include limited battery life, with most models operating for only 2-5 hours, far short of an industrial shift. Other obstacles include ensuring reliability and uptime comparable to traditional industrial robots and developing robust safety standards for robots that operate in close proximity to humans. The competitive landscape for humanoid robotics is heating up, with companies like Tesla (Optimus), Agility Robotics (Digit), Boston Dynamics (Atlas), and Sanctuary AI (Phoenix) all developing their own platforms. While most current real-world deployments are focused on material handling, the long-term vision is for flexible, general-purpose robots that can fill the gaps left by traditional automation.
