BMW tests Figure 03 on parts sequencing at Spartanburg

The logistics task

Automotive Logistics reported that BMW is testing Figure 03 on parts sequencing at Spartanburg. A BMW spokesperson said the components arrive unsorted in larger containers and the robot picks them and sorts them into a sequencing trolley for just-in-sequence delivery to assembly.

The test focuses on validating Figure 03 in a real logistics sequencing application, BMW said. It is the first deployment of a humanoid robot in a logistics workflow at any BMW location worldwide. Figure 03 follows its predecessor, Figure 02, into the same plant. Figure 02 worked in the body shop, inserting sheet-metal parts into fixtures that were then welded into the vehicle chassis.

Sequencing requires reactive motion based on accurate live perception, according to Figure AI. Containers and bins do not arrive in exactly the same position and may have shifted in transit, which requires the robot to gauge the scene and react. Figure AI says Figure 03 can move fluidly between precise picking and placement of individual parts and forceful manipulation that requires whole-body coordination.

What Figure 03 adds

Figure 03 has improved hands with tactile sensors and palm cameras designed to increase precision and dexterity. Soft components are designed for enhanced safety, and wireless charging is meant to raise availability by letting two robots work in tandem. Figure AI says the robot can work four to five hours in a row, and while one robot charges another can take over. The robot runs the Helix 02 vision-language-action model, which Figure AI says lets it understand its environment and carry out tasks.

Figure AI makes the robots at BotQ in San Jose, a facility with annual production capacity of 12,000 units, according to Automotive Logistics. This year the company will use its own robots on the BotQ line to build the next generation of the Figure robot. Figure AI was founded in 2022 and is based in California.

What Figure 02 proved

BMW said Figure 02 supported production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles over just under a year. The robot moved more than 90,000 components and logged about 1,250 operating hours, according to the company. BMW said the pilot showed humanoid robots can safely perform precise, repeatable work steps. The company says the learnings support further development of task execution, accuracy, repeatability, safety and integration into production workflows.

Ulrich Wieland, vice-president of production control and logistics at BMW Manufacturing, said Plant Spartanburg is "the birthplace of humanoid robotics in BMW Manufacturing's operational day-to-day activities." Brett Adcock, founder and CEO of Figure AI, said the deployment proved humanoids are no longer lab experiments but can be a valuable asset in a flexible manufacturing workforce.

BMW's stated goal

BMW says humanoid robots are not intended to replace existing automation technologies but to complement them. The company says they can take on tasks that are monotonous, physically demanding or safety-critical. BMW has said the goal is to "relieve employees and further improve working conditions."

Michael Nikolaides, BMW Group's senior vice president for production network and supply chain management, said the first US deployment proved "a humanoid robot can function not only under controlled laboratory conditions but also in an existing automotive manufacturing environment." BMW has also established a Center of Competence for Physical AI in Production to pool robotics and AI expertise across its global network, the company said.

Figure AI calls Figure 03 ready for scaled deployment.