BMW Group Revolutionizes Production with Automated Driving Technology
The BMW Group is systematically advancing the digitalization and automation of its production processes within the BMW iFACTORY framework. Since 2022, the company has been testing Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) for new vehicles at its largest European plant in Dingolfing. Following successful CE certification, the pilot project has transitioned into series operation.
The AFW technology enables new vehicles to drive fully autonomously along a route of over one kilometer, from assembly halls through the “short test course” to the plant’s finishing area. This is made possible by an extensive sensor infrastructure, including the largest LIDAR system in Europe, and advanced cloud architecture. The system controls vehicle movements regardless of equipment options, optimizing production logistics and delivering significant efficiency gains.
“Automated Driving In-Plant optimizes our production process and delivers significant efficiency gains for our logistics,” explains Milan Nedeljković, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production. “That is why we will be swiftly rolling out this technology throughout our production network.”
The technology is currently being used for various models including the BMW 5 Series, 7 Series, and MINI Countryman. The Leipzig plant plans to introduce automated driving for around 90% of its BMW and MINI models, with other facilities like Regensburg and Oxford set to follow in 2025. The new Debrecen plant in Hungary will implement this technology from its launch.
The BMW Group plans to expand AFW to other production areas, such as testing zones and outdoor distribution areas. Production and development experts are working together to refine the technology in-house, with plans to log several million test kilometers over the next decade. This development sets a new benchmark for automation and digitalization in production processes while paving the way for future applications in autonomous driving.
As Nedeljković notes, “Over the next ten years, we will log several million test kilometers with Automated Driving In-Plant in our production network alone. In this way, the BMW Group is once again setting a new benchmark for automation and digitalization of its production processes – while paving the way for future applications in the field of autonomous driving.”
