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Your next BMW or MINI might roll off the line with a helping hand from a humanoid robot. The BMW Group has confirmed it will introduce this advanced technology at its Leipzig plant in eastern Germany from this summer, signalling a fresh chapter in how its cars are assembled. According to BMW’s head of process management and digitalisation, Michael Nikolaides, this approach represents where vehicle production is heading, thanks to a humanoid shape that can slot into almost any workstation built for a person.
So why bring robots in when they share the same abilities as people? The answer largely comes down to economics. The cost of this kind of robotics has tumbled in recent years, and the compact build of humanoid designs means entire factories do not have to be reconfigured around them. A BMW spokesperson explained the focus lies in identifying tasks that are repetitive, physically demanding or safety-critical, easing the load on staff while teaching the company how Physical AI might shape assembly lines of the future.
BMW began trialling the machines in Germany earlier this year, following an initial test run at its Spartanburg plant in the United States. Once the Leipzig pilot gets underway, the AI-powered units will handle the assembly of high-voltage batteries and component manufacturing. That points to heavy involvement in building the all-electric MINI Countryman E, along with the mild-hybrid BMW 1 Series and the 2 Series Gran Coupe and Active Tourer, all of which are produced at the site.
The robots come from a Swiss outfit called Hexagon Robotics. Known as AEON, each one stands 1.65 metres tall and tips the scales at roughly 60kg. They can lift up to 15kg for short bursts, or 8kg without any time limit. During shifts that can run to eight hours, the machines swap out their own depleting battery packs every three hours, keeping themselves topped up without supervision.
Futuristic as it sounds, this is not the first venture into humanoid robotics on the factory floor. Renault recently revealed its Calvin robot, built to lug heavy EV tyres at its Douai plant in northern France. Nearly every major manufacturer already relies on automation of some kind, from welding arms to autonomous trolleys ferrying parts around. BMW added that its Oxford and Hams Hall plants in the UK already use robotic dogs to assist with inspection and monitoring, hinting at more developments to come.
