BMW’s New Humanoid Workers Never Take A Break Or Get Paid

BMW has become the latest automaker to embrace humanoid robots. The effort kicked off last year with a pilot project at their Spartanburg plant in South Carolina and now they’ve announced a new pilot at their German facility in Leipzig.

Billed as “Physical AI,” the robots will be deployed in collaboration with Hexagon. While the latter company might not ring a bell, they introduced their AEON robot last June.

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Following its unveiling, BMW and Hexagon worked together to conduct an initial theoretical evaluation as well as laboratory tests. The companies then tested AEON robots at the Leipzig plant, last December, as part of an initial deployment. This paved the way for further tests in April as well as for the actual pilot phase, which will start this summer.

BMW says the pilot is focused on “testing a multifunctional application of the robot.” That’s vague, but the automaker said AEON will be used to assemble components and high‑voltage batteries.

Earlier Test

The latest pilot project builds on the earlier test, which saw the company deploy a Figure 02 robot from Figure AI. It worked ten-hour shifts five days a week for ten months, which aided in the production of more than 30,000 X3 crossovers.

BMW said the robot “handled the precise removal and positioning of sheet metal parts for the welding process – a task that is particularly demanding in terms of speed and accuracy, while also being physically exhausting.” Over the course of its deployment, the Figure 02 moved more than 90,000 components and racked up around 1,250 operating hours.

BMW said the pilot showed that robots can “deliver measurable added value under real-world conditions.” The company also noted that humanoids “demonstrate potential in monotonous, ergonomically demanding, or safety‑critical tasks.”

Also: Mercedes Saves Six Figures A Year By Letting A Robot Patrol Its Factory

While there’s always fears that robotic workers could end up replacing humans, BMW said the goal is to “relieve employees and further improve working conditions.” However, the company also acknowledged robots improve the competitiveness of their production.

Beyond BMW, several major automakers are exploring similar territory. Mercedes-Benz has been testing humanoid robots at its Berlin plant, where an Apollo unit from Apptronik has been trialed on logistics, quality checks, and assisting with repetitive tasks on the line.

Hyundai, meanwhile, plans to expand humanoid capabilities in U.S. facilities by 2028, as part of a broader push into advanced manufacturing systems. And then there’s Tesla, which continues to position its Optimus robot as far more than a factory-side experiment.