Robotics startup Figure has announced a groundbreaking partnership with BMW Manufacturing, solidifying its position in the automation space. The collaboration will see Figure’s humanoid robots deployed at BMW’s manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the largest automotive exporter in the U.S., with a workforce of 11,000 employees.
Over the next 12-24 months, Figure’s humanoids will be integrated into various manufacturing processes, including the body shop, sheet metal, and warehouse, following specialized training to execute specific tasks. The startup emphasizes the safety of its robots in proximity to humans, considering this collaboration with BMW a significant validation of its capabilities in the automation sector.
Brett Adcock, CEO at Figure, expressed the importance of this partnership, marking it as the startup’s inaugural commercial deal since its establishment in 2022. While the exact number of robots to be deployed by BMW remains undisclosed, Adcock notes that the collaboration will commence with a limited quantity, expanding based on the achievement of performance targets.
The trend of employing humanoid robots for repetitive and hazardous tasks in assembly lines has been gaining traction among automotive manufacturers. From Honda to Hyundai, carmakers have been exploring the potential of human-like robots to enhance efficiency and safety. Tesla, too, has joined the league, unveiling its latest humanoid in development, Optimus Gen 2. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, envisions a future with a billion humanoid robots on Earth by the 2040s.
Investor interest in general-purpose humanoid robots equipped with artificial intelligence has surged due to their potential to mimic human motion and adapt to new tasks. Unlike current task-specific robots, the flexibility of these robots holds promise for a broader array of applications. However, the viability of such versatile robots in real-life environments remains uncertain, and Figure’s collaboration with BMW represents a notable step in exploring these possibilities within a manufacturing setting.
