Two Figure AI humanoid robots just completed an 11-month deployment at BMW’s Spartanburg plant. The outcome cuts against the industry’s replacement narrative: BMW is adding a second-generation robot to a new job, not cutting headcount.
Key Takeaways
- Figure 02 robots ran for roughly 11 months in the body shop at BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, inserting sheet-metal parts for the welding process, a task BMW describes as physically demanding and ergonomically unfavorable for human workers.
- Over that deployment, the robots logged approximately 1,250 operating hours, moved more than 90,000 components, and contributed to the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles.
- Figure AI CEO Brett Adcock called the deployment proof that humanoids are “no longer lab experiments,” while BMW manufacturing VP Ulrich Wieland called Spartanburg “the birthplace of humanoid robotics” in BMW’s operations.
- Figure 03, an upgraded model announced June 25, 2026, is now handling a different job entirely: sorting unsorted components into sequencing trolleys for just-in-time delivery to the assembly line, a task previously done by hand.
- BMW is running a second, unrelated humanoid pilot in Europe: AEON, built by Hexagon Robotics, not Figure AI, began testing at BMW’s Leipzig, Germany plant in December 2025 for battery assembly and exterior component work.
- The deployments target a narrow slice of manufacturing work, not broad job replacement: Goldman Sachs projects humanoid robots could fill only about 4 percent of U.S. manufacturing labor shortages by 2030.
What 11 Months at Spartanburg Actually Proved
The headlines say humanoid robots are replacing manufacturing workers. What actually happened at BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina plant is more specific. Two Figure 02 robots, built by the California robotics company Figure AI, spent roughly 11 months in the body shop inserting sheet-metal parts for the welding process. That task demands high speed and precision, and it is physically demanding for a human to perform repeatedly.
Our 11-month deployment of Figure 02 proved that humanoids are no longer lab experiments. They can be a valuable asset in establishing a flexible, reliable manufacturing workforce.
Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO, Figure AI
BMW’s own framing of the project echoes that. Ulrich Wieland, BMW Manufacturing’s vice president of production control and logistics, called Plant Spartanburg “the birthplace of humanoid robotics” in the company’s day-to-day operations. Notably, BMW positions the ergonomic case, not headcount reduction, as the reason for the deployment: relieving employees from monotonous, physically demanding, or safety-critical tasks while protecting them from injury risk.
The Task Was Chosen Because It’s Hard on Humans
Sheet-metal panel loading ranks among the more ergonomically demanding jobs in automotive assembly. It is heavy, repetitive, requires precise positioning, and carries real injury risk over a full shift. That is exactly the profile BMW and Figure AI targeted for automation. Notably, it is the same profile industry analysts consistently point to when describing where humanoid robots make near-term economic sense.
Figure 03 Takes On a Different Job Entirely
The Figure 02 pilot did not end because it failed. It ended because it proved the concept, and BMW moved the next-generation robot to a new assignment. Figure 03 is now working logistics sequencing in the same Spartanburg facility: picking up unsorted components and sorting them into sequencing trolleys for just-in-sequence delivery to the assembly line, work previously done by hand. The newer robot adds soft safety components, wireless charging, speech-to-speech communication, and improved hands with tactile sensors and palm cameras.
In short, this is not the same robot doing the same job longer. It is a different robot taking on a different task that BMW had not previously automated at all.
BMW Is Running a Second Humanoid Pilot in Europe, With a Different Robot
Spartanburg is not BMW’s only humanoid robotics program, and it is worth being precise about which robot is which. In February 2026, BMW confirmed a separate pilot at its Leipzig, Germany plant using AEON, a humanoid robot built by Hexagon Robotics, not Figure AI. AEON began initial deployment testing in December 2025 and is being evaluated for high-voltage battery assembly and exterior component work, marking the first use of humanoid robots in a European automotive production environment.
The two programs are running in parallel with different vendors and different tasks. That distinction matters for manufacturers benchmarking their own automation plans: BMW is not betting on one robot or one supplier. It is testing the category itself, across two continents, before committing further.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Robot / vendor (Spartanburg) | Figure 02, then Figure 03 / Figure AI |
| Deployment length (Figure 02) | ~11 months |
| Operating hours logged | ~1,250 |
| Components moved | 90,000+ |
| Vehicles supported | 30,000+ BMW X3 |
| Original task | Sheet-metal insertion for welding |
| Figure 03 assignment | Logistics sequencing (sorting into trolleys) |
| Robot / vendor (Leipzig) | AEON / Hexagon Robotics |
| Leipzig testing began | December 2025 |
The Hype-vs-Reality Gap
The macro forecasts around humanoid robots are aggressive. Goldman Sachs projects the global humanoid robot market could reach $38 billion by 2035, up sixfold from an earlier estimate. In fact, 50,000 to 100,000 units are expected to ship globally in 2026 alone. McKinsey Global Institute takes a broader view of automation rather than humanoids specifically. It estimates that up to 375 million workers worldwide could need to change occupations by 2030 as automation and AI reshape work.
However, Goldman Sachs also estimates that humanoid robots specifically could fill only about 4 percent of U.S. manufacturing labor shortages by 2030. That is the gap between the headline projections and what is actually happening on the Spartanburg floor. BMW’s deployment fills two narrow, specific, physically demanding roles, and it does not replace a workforce. Our earlier coverage of humanoid robots entering the warehouse found the same pattern. These systems are landing in the jobs the labor market already struggles to staff, not the jobs companies are eager to cut.
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Frequently Asked Questions: BMW’s Humanoid Robots at Spartanburg
How long did BMW’s Figure 02 humanoid robots operate at Spartanburg, and what did they do?
Figure 02 robots operated for roughly 11 months in the body shop at BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, inserting sheet-metal parts for the welding process. Over that span, they logged approximately 1,250 operating hours, moved more than 90,000 components, and contributed to the production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles.
Were any workers laid off because of the Figure 02 deployment?
BMW frames the deployment around ergonomic relief rather than headcount reduction, targeting a task the company describes as physically demanding and injury-prone for human workers. BMW has not reported layoffs tied to the Figure 02 or Figure 03 programs.
What is Figure 03, and how is its assignment different from Figure 02’s?
Figure 03 is an upgraded humanoid robot from Figure AI, announced for Spartanburg on June 25, 2026, with soft safety components, wireless charging, speech-to-speech communication, and improved tactile-sensor hands. Unlike Figure 02’s welding-line task, Figure 03 handles logistics sequencing, sorting unsorted components into trolleys for just-in-time delivery to the assembly line.
Is the humanoid robot at BMW’s Leipzig plant the same as the one in Spartanburg?
No. Leipzig uses AEON, a humanoid robot built by Hexagon Robotics, which began testing in December 2025 for battery assembly and exterior component work. Spartanburg uses Figure AI’s robots. The two are separate pilots with different vendors and different tasks.
How big is the humanoid robot market projected to become?
Goldman Sachs projects the global humanoid robot market could reach $38 billion by 2035, a sixfold increase from an earlier estimate, with 50,000 to 100,000 units expected to ship worldwide in 2026 alone.
Will humanoid robots replace a large share of manufacturing jobs?
Not based on current projections. Goldman Sachs estimates humanoid robots could fill only about 4 percent of U.S. manufacturing labor shortages by 2030. Broader automation and AI, per McKinsey, could push up to 375 million workers worldwide to change occupations by 2030, but that figure spans far more than humanoid robots alone.
What should manufacturers take away from BMW’s deployment?
BMW’s approach targets specific, physically demanding, and hard-to-staff tasks rather than broad automation of a workforce, and it is testing multiple robot vendors in parallel across two continents before committing further. Manufacturers evaluating humanoid robots should look for the same profile: ergonomically difficult, narrowly scoped tasks where the labor market already struggles to supply workers.
Author: Wes Garrett
Content and Growth Marketing Producer | From Strategy to Execution, Delivering Impactful Media Solutions and Client Success
