There, it will perform complex sequencing tasks in logistics. “The Spartanburg plant is the cradle of humanoid robotics in the BMW Group’s day-to-day operations. “Having already successfully completed a pilot project with the Figure 02 in our body shop, we are now looking forward to deploying the Figure 03 for a sequencing application in logistics,” says Ulrich Wieland, Vice President of Production Control and Logistics at BMW Manufacturing.

TheBMW Group gained experience with humanoid robotics as early as 2025 at its Spartanburg plant. In collaboration with the technology company Figure AI, the Figure 02 robot supported the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles over a period of ten months. In the body shop, the robot positioned sheet metal parts for the welding process. The insights gained from this project now form the basis for the next step with the successor model, Figure 03.

Scalable Solution for Sequencing

In the new sequencing use case, delivered components arrive unsorted in large containers. Figure 03 picks them up and sorts them into a sequencing cart. The cart is then transported to a designated collection point for further transport. An automated guided vehicle or a smart transport robot then transports the parts to the installation site, where they are made available to assembly line workers “just in sequence.” This use case is common in logistics within automotive production and offers potential for further development and scalability.

Relief from monotonous and physically demanding tasks

The use of humanoid robots is part of the BMW Group’s strategy to expand its automation portfolio with Physical AI. Humanoid robotics is intended to complement existing automation. The company sees the potential of Physical AI particularly in monotonous, ergonomically demanding, or safety-critical tasks. The goal is to protect employees and deploy them optimally, while at the same time further improving the workplace.