Figure pilots humanoid at BMW
Figure AI’s 'Figure 03' humanoid is now in pilot at BMW factories, performing logistics and manipulation tasks like moving parts and fetching tools on the shop floor reported. That deployment is one of the first real examples of humanoids moving from demo arenas into structured industrial workflows.
Figure 03 was introduced on October 9, 2025 as Figure AI’s third‑generation humanoid built around the Helix vision‑language‑action system. (figure.ai) The Figure 03 platform upgraded perception with a camera architecture that delivers twice the frame rate, one‑quarter the latency and a 60% wider field of view per camera, and its fingertip tactile sensors register forces as low as three grams. (figure.ai) Figure AI’s prior in‑line trial used Figure 02 at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg for an 11‑month run that logged 1,250+ operational hours, ran 10‑hour Monday–Friday shifts, loaded 90,000+ sheet‑metal parts and contributed to the production of 30,000+ X3 vehicles. (figure.ai) BMW’s public rollout describes the new phase as “Physical AI,” announced alongside a pilot at the Leipzig plant and the creation of a Center of Competence for Physical AI to scale humanoid integration in Europe. (press.bmwgroup.com) Figure reported that lessons from the Spartanburg run — notably recurring forearm failures — drove a ground‑up re‑architecture of Figure 03’s wrist and forearm electronics to improve reliability for mass deployment. (figure.ai) Figure 03’s battery is a 2.3 kWh structural pack that Figure says enables up to five hours of peak runtime, supports 2 kW fast charging, and yields a reported 78% cost reduction over the F.02 battery architecture. (figure.ai) BMW and Figure measured strict KPIs in the pilot: a total cycle‑time requirement of 84 seconds with a 37‑second load phase, placement accuracy targets above 99%, and part placement tolerances on the order of 5 millimeters. (figure.ai)
