At BMW’s Spartanburg plant, Figure 03 robots have begun sorting components in real-world assembly conditions, marking a transition from pilot programs to industrial deployment.
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BMW Group is expanding its use of Physical AI, an approach where artificial intelligence algorithms directly control physical mechanisms and robots in actual production. The latest milestone is the deployment of the humanoid robot Figure 03 at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in the USA, where it handles tasks within logistics processes.
This initiative builds on a previous pilot project: the Figure 02 robot had already been used at the same facility for 11 months, assisting in the assembly of over 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles by performing part installation operations in the body shop. The company is now advancing to a more complex scenario with the new robot version.
Figure 03 is assigned to the sequential sorting of components. Parts arrive at the station in unsorted containers, after which the robot extracts and organizes them for precise delivery to the assembly line in the correct order. The materials are then transported to their installation points using automated tuggers or transport robots.
According to Ulrich Wieland, head of production at BMW Manufacturing, the Spartanburg plant is the company’s first facility where humanoid robotics are integrated into everyday manufacturing processes, rather than remaining an experimental technology. Representatives from Figure AI emphasize that the previous phase confirmed the feasibility of using humanoids in real industrial settings for repetitive and precise tasks.
The Figure 03 incorporates several design improvements over its predecessor: safer soft body components, a wireless charging system, an audio channel for voice interaction, and enhanced hands with tactile sensors and palm-mounted cameras that boost manipulation accuracy.
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