Summary
BMW says Figure 03 will take on a logistics task at its Spartanburg plant, sorting unsorted components into the order needed for assembly. The project follows a Figure 02 pilot in the plant’s body shop.
BMW announced on 25 June 2026 that Figure 03 will begin a parts-sequencing task at its Plant Spartanburg in the United States. The project moves the collaboration with robotics company Figure AI from a body-shop task performed by the earlier Figure 02 robot to sorting components for production logistics.
BMW describes “Physical AI” as connecting digital artificial intelligence with machines and robots in the real world. In this project, the central challenge is not simply picking up a component: parts must be sorted so they can reach assembly in the required sequence.
From body-shop handling to logistics
BMW says Figure 02 worked in the Spartanburg body shop during 2025, inserting sheet-metal parts for welding. The company reports that the robot supported production of more than 30,000 BMW X3 vehicles over ten months, and says it performed precise, repeatable work under production conditions.
Figure 03 is intended for a different setting and task. Components arrive in larger containers without being sorted. The robot will pick them up and arrange them in a sequencing trolley. That trolley will then go to a collection point, where an automated tugger train or a Smart Transport Robot will carry the parts to their installation location. Assembly employees will receive them in sequence.
The workflow links robotic sorting with the transport of parts through the plant. In practical terms, it shifts the robot’s role from placing parts into a body-shop process to preparing components for line-side supply. BMW describes sequencing as a frequent task in automotive production logistics and sees potential to develop and scale the use case.
Figure 03 features and the production setting
Figure AI chief executive Brett Adcock said Figure 03 includes soft components designed with safety in mind, wireless charging intended to increase availability, and audio functions for speech-to-speech communication. He also cited improved hands with tactile sensors and palm cameras, which the company says are designed to improve precision and dexterity.
BMW presents humanoid robots as a complement to its existing automation, with potential uses in repetitive, ergonomically demanding or safety-critical activities. The project is part of wider production changes at Spartanburg. In Hall 52, BMW says virtual 3D simulations are used to refine processes before components reach the production line, while AI-based visual and acoustic inspection provides feedback to line employees.
BMW says Figure 03 will start the sequencing use case; the announcement frames it as the next step after the Figure 02 pilot. Its significance will depend on how the robot performs this sorting task as part of the production logistics workflow.