BMW launches humanoid robot pilot in Leipzig production line

BMW has started a pilot phase for humanoid robots at its Leipzig plant, where the machines test vehicle body panels for defects and assist in battery assembly. Developed by Swiss firm Hexagon, the robots are intended to handle repetitive, ergonomically demanding tasks and can be taught a job once and deployed across the factory. BMW officials say the technology will not replace workers but free them for other duties, with the pilot slated to finish by year‑end before broader rollout to other sites.

At the same time, German auto supplier Bosch is leveraging its robotics expertise for automated driving. The company plans to apply sensor, AI and drive‑train technologies used in industrial robots to Level‑2 and Level‑3 autonomous vehicles, targeting a mid‑year series‑ready launch. Bosch emphasizes it will supply components and software rather than produce autonomous cars or humanoid robots itself.