BMW to employ robots for car assembly

Startup company Figure has signed a contract with BMW Manufacturing to deploy humanoid robots at BMW’s factory in the United States. These robots have the ability to perform specific physical tasks to replace human labor. This marks Figure’s first commercial agreement since its establishment in 2022.

While not disclosing the number of robots that BMW will use, Brett Adcock, CEO of Figure, said this partnership will start with a small number and expand if the performance goals are achieved.

Once trained to perform specific tasks, they will be integrated into the production process on the car body assembly line, the metal stamping area, and the warehouse within the next 12-24 months.

According to sources, this humanoid robot model will be called Figure 01. Standing at a height of 1.68 meters, this robot model can carry a load of up to 20 kg. When fully charged, Figure 01 can operate continuously for 5 hours and can reach a maximum speed of 4.3 km/h.

Unlike some other humanoid robot designers (including Agility), Figure focuses on creating a human-like flexible hand for control operations. Moreover, this robot model can move more flexibly with its legs, as it can climb stairs or traverse uneven terrains. Adcock suggests that Figure 01 will be assigned an initial high-skilled work.

Humanoid robots will be deployed at the Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, where more than 11,000 workers work on a 74.3-hectare site. This is where SUVs such as BMW X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM, as well as coupes and similar variants, are produced. For over 30 years, this plant has produced over 6.4 million BMW vehicles for the US and global markets.

Car manufacturers like Honda and Hyundai have been involved in the development of humanoid robots for years and are working to integrate them into real-life settings. Meanwhile, Tesla introduced the second generation of Optimus robots in December 2023, and Amazon is testing Agility Robotics’ “Digit” robot in warehouses in the US.