BMW Group reaches one million automated vehicle movements in plants

BMW Group has completed one million automated vehicle movements across its production facilities using Automated Driving In-Plant technology. The milestone comes as the German automaker expands the system to more locations worldwide.

MINI Plant Oxford recorded more than 53,000 automated vehicle movements in the past year. The facility is the fourth BMW Group plant to use the technology, following Dingolfing, Leipzig and Regensburg. Approximately 3,500 automated vehicle movements occur daily across the BMW Group production network.

The technology, which began as a pilot project in Dingolfing in 2022, has developed into a standard application being deployed across BMW’s global manufacturing network. BMW Group Plant Spartanburg will receive the system within the next year.

"One million vehicles moved using automated driving technology and the deployment of this technology at four sites to date demonstrates the innovative strength and scaling capabilities of our production network," said Raymond Wittmann, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production.

The Automated Driving In-Plant system moves new vehicles without drivers in designated production and logistics areas. The technology uses external sensors, cloud architecture and motion planning software. LiDAR sensors continuously capture the environment to enable real-time vehicle navigation.

MINI Plant Oxford became the first BMW Group location to connect automated guided vehicles directly with existing control systems. The system positions vehicles next to lifting devices where specific operations are performed. A cloud-based solution enables automated interaction between vehicles and equipment.

BMW Group operates the largest LiDAR infrastructure in Europe at its Dingolfing plant. The technology can be adapted for different sites, vehicle architectures and production processes.

BMW Group developed the technology with Swiss company Embotech. BMW i Ventures, the company’s venture capital fund, acquired a financial interest in Embotech in December 2024.