BMW Expands Humanoid Robot Deployment With Figure 03 at Spartanburg Plant

BMW Group is expanding its use of humanoid robots in manufacturing by deploying Figure AI's next-generation Figure 03 robot at its Spartanburg, South Carolina, production facility. The deployment marks the next phase of the automaker's Physical AI strategy, moving beyond an earlier pilot in the body shop to logistics operations on the assembly floor.

The company said Figure 03 will perform sequencing tasks in logistics, where components arriving in bulk containers are sorted into sequencing trolleys before being delivered to assembly stations in the required production order. The project follows a successful trial of the Figure 02 humanoid robot at the same facility.

From Production Pilot to Logistics Operations

BMW tested Figure 02 at Plant Spartanburg in 2025, where the robot supported production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles over a 10-month period. Operating in the body shop, it inserted sheet-metal parts for welding, demonstrating that humanoid robots could safely perform repetitive manufacturing tasks under production conditions. 

Ulrich Wieland, Vice President of Production Control and Logistics, BMW Manufacturing, said Plant Spartanburg has become the company's starting point for integrating humanoid robotics into day-to-day manufacturing operations. He said the company is now extending the technology into logistics after completing the initial production pilot.

Figure AI said Figure 03 introduces several hardware improvements designed for factory environments, including soft exterior components for enhanced safety, wireless charging, speech-to-speech communication, tactile sensors in its hands, and palm-mounted cameras to improve manipulation accuracy.

According to Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure AI, the previous 11-month deployment demonstrated that humanoid robots can contribute to a flexible manufacturing workforce, paving the way for broader applications inside automotive factories.

Physical AI Becomes Part of BMW's Factory Strategy

The logistics workflow represents a common process in automotive manufacturing. Figure 03 will transfer unsorted parts into sequencing trolleys, after which automated tugger trains or Smart Transport Robots will move the components to assembly stations in the correct sequence for vehicle production.

BMW said it views humanoid robots as a complement to existing factory automation rather than a replacement for conventional industrial robots. The company expects the technology to be most useful for repetitive, ergonomically demanding, and safety-critical tasks while allowing employees to focus on higher-value work.

The deployment also aligns with the company's broader BMW iFACTORY manufacturing strategy, which combines artificial intelligence, virtualization, and digital planning tools across production facilities. Hall 52 at Plant Spartanburg, where the BMW X3 and future electrified BMW iX5 will be assembled, uses virtual 3D simulations to optimize production planning before physical implementation.

The facility also uses AIQX (Artificial Intelligence Quality Next), an AI-powered inspection platform that combines cameras and sensors to perform visual and acoustic quality checks during production. BMW said it is evaluating whether the system could eventually be made available to suppliers.

The latest deployment adds to a growing number of manufacturers evaluating humanoid robots for industrial environments as companies look to expand automation beyond fixed robotic systems.