BMW deploys Hexagon AEON humanoid robots at Leipzig plant
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- BMW is deploying AI-powered humanoid robots at its Leipzig iFACTORY to build EVs, its second such project after a pilot at its Spartanburg, SC plant.
- Figure 02 humanoid robots at the Spartanburg pilot contributed to production of more than 30,000 BMW X3s, primarily by handling precise sheet metal positioning for welding.
- The Leipzig deployment uses new Hexagon AEON robots from Zurich-based Hexagon Robotics, which were unveiled last June and feature AI-based motion control and environmental sensors.
- Hexagon brands the AEON's self-determining software "Physical AI," designed to let robots independently decide how to carry out tasks while avoiding people and obstacles.
- Michael Nikolaides, BMW's Senior VP of Production Network and Supply Chain Management, framed the pilots as real-world tests to further develop Physical AI under industrial conditions.
- Milan Nedeljković, BMW Board Member for Production, argued that digitalization improves competitiveness and that pairing engineering expertise with AI opens "entirely new possibilities in production."
Why it matters: BMW is now running its second humanoid robot pilot within a year, shifting from Figure 02 at Spartanburg to Hexagon AEON at Leipzig — evidence that AI-powered automation is moving from PR demos to active production lines. Diversifying vendors gives BMW leverage, and the Leipzig deployment gives Hexagon a flagship European automaker reference for its Physical AI platform.
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