BMW Group to deploy humanoid robots in production in Germany for the first time

Nature of the robots and BMW pilot

• Robots are described as “humanoid” but appear more like wheeled, torso‑plus‑arms platforms doing pick‑and‑place and simple hand‑offs with humans.
• Several commenters note BMW has long used large numbers of traditional industrial robots; this pilot seems incremental rather than transformative.
• Many point out that tasks shown (moving parts, simple placement) could already be done by existing robot arms or specialized machinery.

Value vs. hype of humanoid form

• Robotics practitioners in the thread argue humanoids are mostly a publicity stunt:
  • Current actuators, sensors, and control are poorly matched to humanlike dexterity and safe close‑quarters work.
  • Factories already redesign processes around fixed robots; retrofitting robots to human workflows is often worse.
• “Humanoid‑washing” is a recurring theme: giving standard machines a human silhouette plus buzzwords like “Physical AI” to ride the hype cycle.
• Others suggest humanoids might make sense as drop‑in replacements for humans in long‑tail tasks where custom automation isn’t economical, if cost hits ~10–30k€ per unit.

Economics, labor, and unions

• Debate over whether automation leads to cheaper cars:
  • Some argue savings in a competitive market can reach consumers.
  • Others counter that large firms tend to keep margins; BMW in particular emphasizes performance over low price.
• German unions are seen both as protective (pushing retraining and job security) and as slowing adaptation, e.g., opposition to Tesla’s humanoid robots in Berlin.

Comparisons to other automakers and regions

• Tesla, Hyundai, and Figure are repeatedly referenced; Tesla is accused of earlier “meaningless” humanoid announcements that don’t yet work.
• Hexagon Robotics is identified as the likely tech partner, leveraging an existing metrology relationship with BMW.
• Claims about “dark factories” in China are disputed; some say Chinese auto tech is overhyped and heavily reliant on Western components, others say premium Chinese EVs now match or exceed European offerings.

German digitalization & corporate culture

• Long subthread laments German “digitalisation” as layers of paper, Excel, SAP, and consulting overhead.
• Broader critiques emerge of German corporate conservatism, overengineering, penny‑pinching, and aging leadership, contrasted with past manufacturing reputation.