Summary
BMW says its Automated Driving In-Plant system has completed one million driverless vehicle movements across its production network. The system uses LiDAR sensors installed in plant infrastructure, cloud technology and motion-planning software to move vehicles in defined factory and logistics areas.
BMW Group says its Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) system has reached one million vehicle movements across its production network. The system moves new vehicles without drivers in defined factory and logistics areas; it is not a description of self-driving cars on public roads.
The milestone comes as MINI Plant Oxford becomes the fourth BMW Group site to use AFW, after Dingolfing, Leipzig and Regensburg. BMW reports that Oxford recorded more than 53,000 automated vehicle movements in the past year, while the network now averages around 3,500 a day. The company says the technology improves production processes and logistics efficiency.
How the factory-driving system works
AFW combines sensors installed in the plant, cloud architecture and motion-planning software. LiDAR sensors along a route repeatedly measure the surrounding environment, giving the system information to navigate in real time. BMW says vehicles can respond dynamically to people, other vehicles, driverless transport vehicles, logistics traffic and temporary obstacles.
Because the sensing equipment is installed in the factory infrastructure, rather than relying only on equipment fitted to each vehicle, BMW says vehicles can be moved regardless of their individual equipment specification. Artificial intelligence supports the system’s development, simulation and operation, according to the company.
At Oxford, AFW is connected directly to existing plant control systems. It can position a vehicle beside a lifting device for a specified operation, with the interaction between the vehicle and equipment enabled by a cloud-based system. BMW describes this as a step towards integrating automated vehicle movements more closely with production processes.
From pilot to wider production use
BMW launched the AFW pilot at its Dingolfing plant in 2022. The company says it has since developed the system into a scalable production application that can be adapted for different plants, vehicle architectures and processes. It also says AFW is CE-certified for use in production environments.
The next planned site is BMW Group Plant Spartanburg, where the company says AFW is due to enter series operation in 2027. That would make it the fifth site in the network.
The reported million-movement total is a measure of deployment in controlled industrial settings. It shows the system operating across multiple plants and production processes, while the stated scope remains the movement of new vehicles in designated factory and logistics areas.