BMW’s Newest American Worker Is A Robot That Looks Eerily Human

BMW has introduced a new humanoid robot, the Figure 03, at its South Carolina plant. The robot is designed to assist with logistics operations, sorting components arriving at the factory and placing them in trolleys. This task was previously done by human workers, but the robot is taking over the monotonous role.

The Figure 03 robot is a more advanced version of the Figure 02, which was used in the body shop to insert sheet-metal parts for the welding process. The new robot will work alongside human workers, helping to assemble new BMW models.

According to Ulrich Wieland, vice president of production control and logistics at BMW Manufacturing, the humanoid robots are a “value-adding complement to existing automation” and are intended to protect and utilize employees, rather than replace them.

The robots are especially useful for monotonous, ergonomically demanding, or safety-critical activities.

The Figure 03 robot is part of BMW’s efforts to continually refine its processes using AI and virtual 3D simulations, and to improve the working conditions for its human employees.