+++ Le nouveau BMW X5 sera le premier véhicule proposé avec cinq options de motorisation +++ Le BMW iX5 est confirmé comme étant le premier modèle BMW entièrement électrique à être assemblé aux États-Unis à partir de fin 2026 +++ Milan Nedeljković, nouveau président du directoire du groupe BMW : « L'achèvement de nos investissements à Spartanburg et Woodruff témoigne de notre confiance envers les États-Unis et renforce le rôle de la Caroline du Sud au cœur des activités mondiales du groupe BMW » +++ D'ici 2030, le groupe BMW assemblera au moins six modèles entièrement électriques aux États-Unis +++ Les principes clés de la « BMW iFACTORY » sont mis en œuvre dans les usines de Spartanburg et de Woodruff +++
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Spartanburg, South Carolina. The BMW Group announced today the completion of a $1.7 billion investment in its South Carolina operations. The company celebrated the milestone at the "Home of X" event at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg, reaffirming its longstanding commitment in the United States through continued investment and innovation leadership. With this milestone, BMW Group has completed the expansion of Plant Spartanburg and the construction of Plant Woodruff, establishing the foundation for the assembly of fully electric BMW vehicles in South Carolina. The United States remains one of BMW Group’s most important markets and business ecosystems worldwide.

The event also marked the world premiere of the new, fifth-generation BMW X5. BMW confirmed that the BMW iX5 will be the first fully electric BMW assembled in the United States, starting in late 2026.

"When we announced our investment plans for South Carolina in 2022, we made a clear commitment to the future of the BMW Group in the United States," said Milan Nedeljković, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG. "Today, we are delivering on that commitment. The completion of our investments in Plant Spartanburg and Plant Woodruff demonstrates our confidence in the United States and reinforces South Carolina’s role at the center of BMW Group’s global operations."

Together, Plant Spartanburg and Plant Woodruff form a highly integrated network supporting the future of BMW X model assembly and electrification in the United States.

Home of X.

Home of X recognizes the significant role the United States plays in BMW Group’s global operations. South Carolina is the home of BMW Group’s largest plant worldwide. For more than 50 years, BMW has maintained a strong commitment in the United States, growing its presence to nearly 30 locations across 12 states. Today, BMW Group’s business activities in the U.S. support more than 120,000 jobs nationwide and contribute more than $43.3 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

Established more than three decades ago, BMW Group Plant Spartanburg is the global center of competence for BMW X models. Since 1994, more than 7.3 million BMW vehicles have been assembled in South Carolina for customers in the United States and around the world. In 2025, 412,799 BMW X models were assembled at Plant Spartanburg – this marked the seventh time the plant has exceeded 400,000 units.

Approximately half of the plant's current production is exported to nearly 120 countries, helping to make BMW the leading automotive exporter in the United States by value. To date, nearly 3 million BMWs have been exported from the United States, valued at over $113 billion.

The completion of BMW Group’s $1.7 billion investment in South Carolina represents the latest chapter in the company’s longstanding commitment in the United States. Together, Plant Spartanburg and Plant Woodruff will enable the assembly of the next generation of BMW X vehicles, including fully electric models, while strengthening BMW Group’s ability to serve customers around the world.

With two plants, over 400 suppliers, and many longstanding strategic partners across the country, the United States remains central to BMW Group’s global strategy. This foundation supports future growth, innovation, electrification, and customer choice for decades to come.

New BMW X5 Available in Five Drivetrains.

A centerpiece of the Home of X celebration was the world premiere of the new BMW X5. The X5 established the premium Sports Utility Vehicle segment and became one of the most successful products in BMW history. Since 1999, over 3 million BMW X5 models have been sold around the world, a third of which were sold in the U.S.

Assembled at Plant Spartanburg for over 25 years, the new BMW X5 becomes the first vehicle offered with five drivetrain technologies. The options span internal combustion, battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, diesel and, soon, fuel cell electric powered by hydrogen. This breadth reflects BMW Group's technology-open approach and commitment to customer choice.

"Our strategic course remains unchanged. We will continue to pursue the same technology-open strategy that has made BMW successful and will continue to make us successful in the future," continued Nedeljković.

Plant Spartanburg will be the first plant in the BMW Group’s global production network capable of assembling a single vehicle with five different drivetrain technologies on one assembly line, demonstrating the technology-open strategy at the highest level.

By offering a broad range of drivetrain technologies, BMW enables customers to select the vehicle that best suits their needs, driving habits, and preferences. This flexibility reflects BMW Group’s conviction that multiple technologies will play an important role in the transition to sustainable mobility.

"The new BMW X5 demonstrates our belief that innovation and customer choice go hand in hand," said Sebastian Mackensen, President & CEO, BMW of North America. "Our customers both in the U.S. and around the world will love the new BMW X5 – and our technology-open approach puts them in the driver’s seat to enjoy the performance and premium experience that define BMW, regardless of which drivetrain they choose."

BMW Group also confirmed that the BMW iX5 will be the first fully electric BMW vehicle assembled in the United States. Assembly is scheduled to begin at Plant Spartanburg before the end of 2026.

The announcement represents another important milestone in BMW Group’s electrification strategy. It fulfills a key commitment made as part of the company’s 2022 investment announcement. By 2030, BMW Group will assemble at least six fully electric BMW models in the United States, supported by locally assembled high-voltage batteries from Plant Woodruff.

"The future of BMW X models will continue to be shaped in South Carolina," said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, President & CEO, BMW Manufacturing Co. "From highly efficient combustion engines and plug-in hybrid systems to battery-electric and future hydrogen-powered vehicles, Plant Spartanburg will be able to assemble a broad range of drivetrain technologies for customers in the U.S. and around the world. This flexibility of Plant Spartanburg and our global production network strengthens our resilience, supports customer choice, and enables us to meet customer demand at any level."

Digitalization and AI in Production: Key Principles of BMW iFACTORY are implemented in Plants Spartanburg and Woodruff.

The BMW iFACTORY concept defines the BMW Group’s strategic vision for the future of its global production network, driven by efficiency, sustainability, and digitalization. At both Plant Spartanburg and Plant Woodruff, the guiding principles of the BMW iFACTORY are already a reality.

Smart automation, end-to-end data integration, and virtual planning form a highly connected production system — with a highly skilled workforce at its core. Digital twins allow processes in both plants to be optimized long before the first component reaches the assembly line. 3D virtual simulations enable seamless implementation, reduce complexity, and enhance workflows and ergonomics for associates.

Artificial intelligence is deeply anchored in the assembly of both plants. AI-supported applications, including self-correcting robotics and vision-based quality controls, help ensure consistently high standards in a dynamic manufacturing environment. At both plants, AIQX (Artificial Intelligence Quality Next), an in-house IT platform at the BMW Group, is being applied. AIQX uses sensors and camera systems along the production line to automate quality processes. AI evaluates the data and provides real-time feedback to employees on the line.

At the same time, Plant Spartanburg is advancing the next stage of innovation through physical AI. By utilizing humanoid robots from Figure AI, Plant Spartanburg has become a pioneer of BMW’s Physical AI Initiative. These applications support associates in physically demanding and repetitive tasks, enabling greater focus on precision, craftsmanship, and quality that define every BMW vehicle.

At Plant Woodruff, the BMW Group is deploying intelligent, next-generation manufacturing powered by cutting-edge technologies — first proven in virtual environments. Guided by the BMW iFACTORY principles, the new plant also reduces complexity and sets new standards in high-voltage battery assembly. Following the “Cell-to-Pack” principle, the cells are assembled directly into the housing without the former processes of cell coating and cell module production.

All in all, innovative technologies at both plants support and protect people. In doing so, digitalization enhances production performance, resilience, and the flexibility and adaptability needed to meet the mobility demands of today and tomorrow.

+++ Quand la tradition rencontre l'avenir : 104 ans d'existence et les technologies les plus récentes +++ La production en série de la nouvelle BMW i3 débutera en août 2026 +++ D'autres modèles suivront +++ À partir de 2027, une usine dédiée aux véhicules entièrement électriques +++

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Munich. BMW Group Plant Munich is approaching the biggest milestone in the transformation process: series production of the BMW i3, the second model in the Neue Klasse range, gets underway here in August. This marks the start of the rollout of the Neue Klasse within the BMW Group’s global production network.

“We have been making rigorous preparations. With the BMW iFACTORY we have devised a consistent, strategic framework for our production,” explains Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Production. “We have paved the way for the upcoming start-ups in all our plants and have invested heavily in technologies, digitalisation and AI.”

BMW Group Plant Munich has undergone extensive modernisation in recent years. The result is a plant that now works even more efficiently, flexibly and digitally, and is optimally positioned for the requirements of electric mobility and the Neue Klasse.

But that’s not all: as of 2027, the Munich plant will exclusively produce all‑electric vehicles and thereby achieve a further boost in efficiency. This is assisted by proactive planning, close collaboration with development teams and suppliers, as well as modern production technology in the new structures. “We have considerably reduced production costs over recent years. With the start of production of the BMW i3, we will reduce overall production costs at the Munich plant by a further 10 per cent, bringing them below the level of the current vehicle generation,” says Peter Weber, Head of BMW Group Plant Munich. In addition to optimised production processes and targeted automation and digitalisation, the new vehicle architecture of the Neue Klasse also ensures efficiency.

Plant Munich is investing around 650 million euros in its transformation into a fully electric production site.

Highly efficient production at historic site

Plant Munich has been consistently reinventing itself for more than 100 years – from a location outside the city to today’s site surrounded by it. The facility has undergone a fundamental process of redevelopment for the Neue Klasse – with production of up to 1,000 vehicles a day continuing during this period. A new body shop and state-of-the-art vehicle assembly including new logistics areas were set up on an area spanning around a third of the plant’s footprint. Extensive updates have also been made to existing technologies.

Plant manager Peter Weber highlights what the workforce has achieved: “The people at the factory played an essential role in making this transformation a success. With their high level of expertise, enthusiasm and tremendous dedication, our employees have shown that world-class industrial production is possible even under the toughest conditions. The BMW i3 is just the beginning – several Neue Klasse models will be manufactured in Munich in the future, including the BMW i3 Touring.”

A vision for all technologies: the BMW iFACTORY

The BMW iFACTORY focuses on the areas of efficiency, sustainability and digitalisation. Within this framework, the company’s plants around the world are implementing site-specific solutions and, in so doing, strengthening the company’s resilience as well as its ability to deliver reliably at any time and worldwide. This vision has now also been consistently implemented across all technologies at BMW Group Plant Munich.

“We have rethought the entire value stream from supplier to finished customer vehicle. We have looked at every single process in detail and made optimisations. Now our plant is even more efficient, more flexible and even more digitised than ever before. We are thereby safeguarding the future viability of the plant,” adds Peter Weber.

In the press shop, steel and aluminium boards are turned into tens of thousands of components on highly automated press lines daily. Uniform press and tool standards across the global production network result in efficiencies on many levels: installation and integration of the systems are standardised, tools for the presses can be swapped within the network, and employees can work at various locations and help each other. An AI-assisted camera system supports quality control before an underground transport system moves the parts to the body shop. Output has increased significantly compared with previous structures. Cuts of steel and aluminium are collected, sorted and then used to manufacture new steel or aluminium coils.

Plant Munich has set up a new body shop for the Neue Klasse featuring systems planned and realised using a virtual twin. A total of 800 new industrial robots take care of the joining processes here; decreasing the number of joining processes to five reduces process complexity. With an automation rate of around 98 per cent, robots perform the majority of standardised processes. Automated surface inspection (ASI) assists with quality assurance.

In the paint shop at Plant Munich, digital and AI-assisted systems control central quality processes. Automated surface inspection (ASI) uses cameras and artificial intelligence to detect even the most minor deviations on the surface and documents them digitally. Automated surface processing (ASP) works on the variations detected directly during the running process. To purify the exhaust air, the paint shop uses the energy-efficient, electrically powered eRTO process. This is complemented by heat and energy recovery as well as water-saving cycles.

What once was the home of engine manufacturing at BMW Group Plant Munich has become a new assembly area for the Neue Klasse. The assembly area is set up for end-to-end digital processes: vehicles, systems and tools are interconnected and digital live tracking and automated inline quality checks support employees in the assembly line process. During assembly already, the BMW i3 digitally transmits the status of up to 20,000 features to the production system. Ergonomic workstations, height-adjustable systems and simplified processes lighten the load for employees, while targeted training supports new digital fields.

Aspart of the transformation, logistics at BMW Group Plant Munich has focused squarely on efficiency and direct integration of production. The logistics department at the Munich plant moves around 2.5 million parts every day; in future around 70 per cent of these parts will be delivered directly to the assembly workstations. This will reduce internal transport distances, save space and accelerate supply to the production lines. This is made possible by a multi-storey building structure developed specially for the plant’s city location. Delivery is at ground level and then conveyor technology transports the parts to the right levels, where they are distributed directly to the assembly workstations. This enables the principle of direct delivery to be applied systematically even in a multi-storey plant. At the same time, the level of automation in logistics has been significantly increased. Automated supply systems, smart transport robots and driverless transport systems will handle around 60 per cent of supply tasks in the future. A digital logistics control station manages all processes centrally, ensuring transparency and data-driven optimisation.

Unique to Plant Munich is the in-house seat manufacturing facility. It is a “plant inside a plant” and takes on a central role for quality assurance and expert evaluation within the production network. The seats for all versions of the models produced in Munich are manufactured here and delivered to vehicle assembly directly and “just in sequence”. The in‑house seat manufacturing facility is regarded as the benchmark for quality assurance across the BMW Group. Modern, largely automated processes ensure seamless quality control. This is complemented by fully automated end-of-line checks, including for safety-relevant components. The seat manufacturing facility also systematically strengthens the BMW Group’s in-house expertise. It serves as a competence centre and innovation hub, tests new materials, technologies and manufacturing concepts, and supports the evaluation of costs, quality and production processes – making an impact far beyond the Munich location.

Global network, regional value creation: high-voltage batteries and e-drive

With the new assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Irlbach‑Straßkirchen (Lower Bavaria, Germany) around 90 minutes away, the BMW Group is significantly boosting value creation in the Bavaria region. In keeping with the “local for local” approach, Irlbach-Straßkirchen will deliver high-voltage Gen6 batteries to the Munich plant as well as other German locations. Here, the batteries will be installed in the BMW i3. Manufacture of the high-voltage batteries combines a rigorous zero-defect approach with the latest production technologies, which were developed at Bavarian pilot plants. With seamless inline quality controls, digital twins and the systematic use of artificial intelligence, the BMW Group is setting new standards in battery production.

The Gen6 e-motor for the BMW i3 is produced at BMW Group Plant Steyr in Austria – a location that has been manufacturing drivetrains for over 40 years. With the first e-motor in the portfolio, the plant is developing its role as a prime example of technology openness. All core components of the highly integrated e-drive – from the rotor and stator to the inverter and transmission – are produced on-site. New production lines and state‑of‑the‑art clean room environments have been set up for this. The aluminium foundry at BMW Group Plant Landshut supplies the e-motor housing for Plant Steyr.

+++ Le centre de recyclage et de démantèlement (RDC) du groupe BMW va devenir un centre de compétences dédié à la circularité +++ Renforcement de l'économie circulaire, de l'utilisation efficace des ressources et du développement technologique +++ Un signal fort pour l'avenir du site de Wackersdorf +++

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Munich/Wackersdorf. The BMW Group is relocating its Recycling and Dismantling Centre (RDC) from Unterschleißheim to the company’s Wackersdorf site, with a significant expansion. At the new location, a technologically state-of-the-art competence centre for circularity is being built, advancing vehicle dismantling and recycling expertise for the future. Commissioning is scheduled for early 2029.

“The circular economy is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy,” says Jörg Lederbauer, Vice-President Circular Economy, Spare Parts Supply High Voltage Battery and Electric Powertrain at the BMW Group. “Our new competence centre in Wackersdorf will be a core component of our circular value chain and will help make the mobility of the future more resource efficient. We want to find the best way to keep materials in the cycle, ensuring that resources retain their value for further use in the long term. This will also reduce our dependence on primary raw materials. At the same time, the use of high-quality secondary materials will continue to significantly lower our vehicles’ carbon footprint.”

For more than 30 years, at its current location in Unterschleißheim, near Munich, the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Centre (RDC) has developed methods aimed at achieving significant advances in the recycling of parts and the recovery of materials, and has tested them in practice. The insights gained by the RDC into the recyclability of components and materials, in line with Design for Circularity principles, are already incorporated into product development at the BMW Group. These insights also feed into the cooperation with PreZero, which the BMW Group recently entered into in order to leverage the strategic and economic potential of the circular economy in end‑of‑life vehicle recycling. 

The recycling industry’s global network also benefits from the work of the RDC. Around 3,000 businesses in 32 countries rely on a shared recycling database for information on how recyclable components can be disassembled cost-effectively and valuable materials efficiently recovered.

At the future site, process, material and technology development will be even more closely integrated with vehicle recycling operations. The new scope of activities at the Competence Centre Circularity includes the recycling of hydrogen vehicles, automation of dismantling processes and development of expertise in innovative shredding and sorting technologies.

The BMW Group sees Wackersdorf as the ideal new location for the Competence Centre Circularity, with BMW Group Plant Wackersdorf having embodied flexibility for decades: Housing cockpit production, the Rolls-Royce door and flap production centre, parts supply for overseas plants and the battery testing centre, the site has wide-ranging expertise and is firmly established within the BMW Group network.

“In recent years, the company has set a decisive course for the future of the Wackersdorf location. Throughout this process, the entire plant team has consistently demonstrated flexibility. Building the competence centre for circularity here provides our site with a broader foundation. In this way, we are tapping into an attractive, future-oriented area of activity,” says Stefan Betz, head of BMW Group Plant Wackersdorf.

“The company is systematically continuing its successful transformation. Establishing the new Competence Centre Circularity here represents an important strategic decision by the company in favour of the Wackersdorf location – and, above all, its employees. As employee representatives, we also supported this,” says André Mandl, Works Council Chairman for BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf.

“In Wackersdorf, BMW has been a strong partner by our side for many decades. We are delighted that the BMW Group is reaffirming its commitment to the location with this move. It sends a clear signal for our site and for sustainable future technologies,” says Thomas Falter, Mayor of Wackersdorf.

“The cutting-edge Competence Centre Circularity will make a major contribution to regional value creation and further development of the circular economy,” adds Thomas Ebeling, District Administrator of Schwandorf District. “In combination with the trechnology transfer centre planned for Wackersdorf by the Regensburg University of Applied Sciences and the University of Applied Sciences Amberg Weiden, close integration of business and academia on the circular economy will now also be possible. In this way, we are strengthening the region.”

Following the location decision, the detailed planning phase for the Competence Centre Circularity at the new site can now begin. The existing RDC in Unterschleißheim will remain fully operational until the relocation. The BMW Group will provide further information on the next steps in due course.

Munich. BMW Group Plant Munich is ready for the production of the next vehicle generation. The manufacturing equipment has been installed in the new body shop and assembly line, and functional checks have been successfully completed. During this so-called "Common Function Test," every system undergoes dry runs, in which production planners and plant technicians put the machinery through its paces. All production steps are executed without any parts in the system. Cycle by cycle, an invisible vehicle takes shape. Although no actual car is produced, this process provides the certainty that everything operates seamlessly and as planned.

Peter Weber, head of BMW Group Plant Munich, is delighted: “Just in time for the holidays, we have reached an important milestone: All manufacturing technologies and equipment are ready to go, and we are already training our associates for production of the BMW i3. We are taking major strides towards production of first pre-series vehicles, which will then come completely from our plant.”

However, plant employees will have to remain patient a little longer until then. BMW i3 assembly, which has so far been carried out at the nearby Research and Innovation Centre, will be relocating to Plant Munich in January. With this move, all technologies at Plant Munich are then in place to continue rigorous testing of the complete production system. Series production of the new BMW i3 will then ramp up in summer 2026.

Typical iFACTORY: digitally planned and tested

Plant Munich is consistently aligned with the guiding principles of the BMW iFACTORY. Both the new body shop and new assembly line were digitally planned and built from the outset. Existing installations in the press shop and paint shop are also integrated into the BMW Group’s Virtual Factory. This made it possible to conduct functional testing of all technologies for the new vehicle generation virtually and well in advance.

Extensive remodelling completed in just 18 months

In just 18 months, about a third of the plant grounds has undergone extensive remodelling. Old halls were dismantled, and a new assembly, logistics centre and body shop were built – all while still manufacturing up to 1,000 BMW 3 Series and 4 Series vehicles per day. Series production of the new BMW i3 is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.

Landshut. The BMW Group is consistently improving digitalization in the production of its components. From AI-driven production management and smart logistics processes to data-based quality controls – the Landshut plant, the company's largest component manufacturing site, utilizes state-of-the-art technologies and thus plays a central role as an innovation hub within the automotive and supplier industries.

At the BMW Group plant in Landshut, for example, the company uses AI-supported data analysis to detect anomalies in data traffic at an early stage and ward off cyberattacks. In addition, digital process control and networked production facilities are used to increase productivity and improve quality.

Thomas Thym, Head of the BMW Group Plant Landshut: "We not only implement technical progress, but also actively shape it in order to secure our competitiveness in the long term. Behind every digital car there must also be a digital factory."

Shopfloor Digital in Component Manufacturing: Connected Production for Greater Transparency
A key component of the BMW Group's digitalization strategy is the "Shopfloor.Digital" transformation program. The goal is to harmonize manufacturing processes and IT systems worldwide across all 30 production sites. To achieve this, the company is building a modern, cloud-based IT architecture and relying on process automation and AI solutions. As a component manufacturing site, the Landshut plant is a key component of this transformation program. "We view complexity as an opportunity and use the data we gain to continuously improve our processes," explains Franz Heigl, Head of Digitalization of Component Manufacturing.

Lean Management: Digital Tools for Lean Processes
At the same time, the BMW Group is driving forward the digitalization of its lean management approaches. This includes a digital process map in the production areas, a digital disruption process, and value stream management. To ensure the organization's common alignment, the goal development process serves as an effective leadership and steering tool, enabling goals to be broken down to their basics and translated into concrete challenges. "Our goal is to focus on the essentials in our day-to-day business and prioritize value-creating activities," says Heigl.

Smart production, smart logistics: Connected supply and production chains for greater flexibility and efficiency
The BMW Group is also consistently pursuing its digitalization initiative in logistics and manufacturing. With the help of sensors, real-time data, and AI-driven processes, the Landshut plant is optimizing its supply chains, material flows, and production processes. This will enable the production sites to be even more closely connected with suppliers to avoid bottlenecks and conserve resources.

One example of this is the production of the BMW Energy Master, the central control unit of the high-voltage battery for the Neue Klasse vehicles. Comprehensive inline monitoring, including AI-based camera systems, as well as 100% end-of-line system testing in a cleanroom environment meet the highest quality standards. The Landshut plant will supply all battery assembly plants worldwide with the BMW Energy Master in the future, where the control unit will then be mounted on the high-voltage battery in a final assembly step.

The Landshut plant also relies on automation and digitalization in the production of cockpits. During the final quality control, around 50 quality features are checked in just 30 seconds. This is followed by fully automated packaging and transport of the parts. This involves autonomous transport systems that move independently from the starting point to the destination without relying on an external control system.

In the Landshut plant's light metal foundry, the automaker is currently producing aluminum housings for the Neue Klasse electric engines in a pre-series production run. High quality standards are applied in the manufacture of our products. To ensure these standards are consistently met, modern technologies are used, such as inline computed tomography (CT). Every single electric motor housing manufactured at the Landshut plant undergoes a fully automated CT scan. Within just 42 seconds, 2,400 individual images are captured and reconstructed into a 3D model of the component. In contrast to the majority of applications in the medical field, quality control here is fully automated using artificial intelligence. This allows the powerful CT technology to be integrated extremely efficiently into the production process while simultaneously ensuring the quality of the parts.

Quality in the Supply Chain: Supplier Qualification
To ensure high quality standards in production, the BMW Group is also focusing on digitalization in its supply chain. At the ZDSC (Zero Defect Supply Chain) Campus, suppliers receive interactive training on topics such as shop floor management, production systems, and digitalization. The goal is to work with partners to establish a stable production system with a "zero-defect mentality." In this way, the BMW Group actively involves its partners and suppliers in the digital transformation.

AI LAb
The AI ​​LAb is a new innovation and collaboration space that enables all employees at the BMW Group Landshut Plant to try out and learn new AI-based technologies using application-oriented examples. The application examples cover a broad spectrum of AI applications: The Technology Trend Radar provides a structured overview of direct and indirect AI applications, sorted by technology and maturity level. With PowerApps, employees can create their own digital applications without programming knowledge, thus digitizing processes and automating tasks. The AIQX (Artificial Intelligence Quality Next) computer system enables the automation and optimization of quality assurance in production using AI.

On May 14 and 15, 2025, the Landshut plant presented its already implemented, networked and data-driven production of components at the "Smart Factory Day".

Dingolfing. Increasing efficiency through digitization: In a successful cooperation between BMW Group Plant Dingolfing and Landshut University of Applied Sciences, students have developed an innovative solution for plant logistics. The new digital tool automates the counting of empty containers using artificial intelligence (AI), saving time and avoiding errors.

Looking for simple automation
At the BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, around 1,600 different types of containers are in circulation every day, transporting parts for vehicle production. Until now, these containers were counted manually, which was time-consuming and prone to errors. “Our goal was to automate empties counting as efficiently and simply as possible,” explains Wolfgang Schratzenstaller, project manager at the BMW Group Plant in Dingolfing.

Cooperation with Landshut University
The idea of involving students from Landshut University of Applied Sciences in the project met with a positive response. “Students bring in new perspectives and unbiased approaches,” says Schratzenstaller. Prof. Dr. Abdelmajid Khelil, head of the IoT Innovation Lab at Landshut University, supported the project as part of a practical teaching module. The collaboration began with the summer semester 2024.

Mobile video instead of mental arithmetic 

Within three months, the eight-person team developed a cost-effective and efficient solution. A simple mobile phone video, taken while running through the rows with the containers, is sufficient to determine the exact number per container variant. “QR codes are placed above the block storage lanes, which link to a database of container data. The AI analyses the video and calculates the number of containers,” explains Dominik Dama, an IT master's student.

Outlook and development

The counting system is currently in the pilot phase to test its performance under real conditions. In the future, the solution will also be used in other areas of plant logistics. It is also planned to further automate the counting process by using autonomous Smart Transport Robots (STR) to record the videos.

+++ Utilisation de l'hydrogène dans l'intralogistique - les composants sont livrés à toutes les zones de production par des trains de remorquage et des chariots élévateurs à hydrogène +++ Passage progressif de la propulsion électrique à la propulsion à l'hydrogène vers 2030 +++

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Regensburg. BMW Group Plant Regensburg plans to utilise hydrogen for its production logistics going forward. Starting in 2026, hydrogen-powered tugger trains and forklift trucks will be deployed for all transport and logistics tasks. This includes operations in the press shop, body shop and assembly, ensuring that the necessary components and individual parts are delivered to the correct locations for installation.

The project aims to capitalise on the benefits of hydrogen propulsion. “The gradual transition from electric to hydrogen propulsion brings us another step closer to the BMW iFACTORY, our digital and sustainable factory of the future,” says Armin Ebner, head of BMW Group Plant Regensburg.

“Switching production logistics from electricity to hydrogen will diversify our plant’s energy mix – while optimising logistics processes and saving valuable space,” explains Project Manager Katharina Radtke. “The advantage of hydrogen is that refuelling is very fast – just like with conventional fuels. The filling stations required for this will be installed directly within the different production areas and do not take up much space.”

The entire logistics fleet at the Regensburg plant is currently being equipped with electric drive trains. The batteries used in the industrial trucks need to be changed twice per shift. Battery replacement, which is performed manually using a crane, takes about 15 minutes and requires space.

To ensure the wide-scale supply of hydrogen in the future, BMW Group plant Regensburg will install a two-kilometre-long pipeline network, with six decentralised filling stations, between now and early 2026. These stations will supply the logistics fleet in the various production areas with hydrogen, delivered in special trailers that can also be used for interim storage. “Once the conversion is completed, our annual hydrogen consumption will be around 150 tonnes,” says Radtke.

The logistics fleet at BMW Group Plant Regensburg currently comprises about 230 tugger train haulers and forklift trucks. The transition will be completed in stages by 2030.


BMW Group Corporate Communications

Christian Dürrschmidt, Communications Regensburg
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 5194
Email: Christian.Duerrschmidt@bmw.de

Saskia Graser, head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 2014
Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmw.de


BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf

The BMW Group has viewed itself for decades as the benchmark for production technology and operational excellence in vehicle construction – including at its locations in Regensburg and Wackersdorf. The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. A total of up to 1,400 vehicles of the BMW X1 and BMW X2 models come off the production line at Plant Regensburg every workday – destined for customers all over the world. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids, to fully-electric models.

High-voltage batteries for the electric models built in Regensburg are also produced locally, in direct proximity to the vehicle plant. They are assembled at the electric component production facility, which opened in 2021 at the Leibnizstrasse location.

BMW Innovation Park Wackersdorf also belongs to the Regensburg site. The 55-hectare campus built in the 1980s was originally intended as a nuclear reprocessing facility. The BMW Group has located its cockpit production there, as well as its parts supply for overseas plants. In addition to BMW as the largest employer, several other companies are also based at Innovation Park Wackersdorf. A total of around 2,500 employees work there.
The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria is made up of around 9,250 employees, including more than 300 apprentices.


www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html

+++ Une logistique d'usine avancée avec 50 trains de remorquage et 140 Smart Transport Robots traitent environ 10 000 transports par jour pour livrer les pièces à la production +++ La logistique intelligente, grâce à un système de contrôle du trafic basé sur le cloud, assure un guidage optimal des routes et la livraison à temps des pièces à la ligne d'assemblage en fonction de la priorité de livraison +++

Regensburg. Digital, automated and intelligently connected through the cloud: BMW Group Plant Regensburg is advancing the digitalisation and automation of its logistics – as a further milestone on the road to the digital factory of the future, the BMW iFACTORY. Every 57 seconds, a new vehicle rolls off the assembly line. Each one is unique, built to individual customer preferences from thousands of separate components. Every workday, up to 1,400 BMW X1 and BMW X2 vehicles are dispatched to customers worldwide, including classic combustion-engine vehicles, plug-in hybrids and fully-electric models.

The logistics behind this process are extremely complex: The components and individual parts required for production always need to be in the right place in the plant's vehicle assembly at the right time – delivered “just in time” and in the correct order, “just in sequence” – to create individually customised vehicles for customers. At the BMW Group site in Regensburg, this logistical task, which is essential for efficient production, is primarily handled by driverless, automated or autonomous transport systems that are intelligently connected through a cloud-based traffic control system known as BMW Automated Transport Services (ATS). In some cases, loading and unloading of transport vehicles is also fully automated.

Depending on the transport task, various types of driverless vehicles are used. For example, automated tugger trains transport small parts from the warehouse to the assembly line, while larger components weighing up to a tonne are handled by Smart Transport Robots (STR). These flat transport robots, developed by the BMW Group in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) about ten years ago, now operate autonomously using dedicated AI modules. Relying on sensors and software, the devices recognise their surroundings, allowing them to navigate around obstacles independently when oncoming traffic permits.

The transport devices are managed through the central cloud-based BMW traffic control system, ATS. When it is time to replenish supplies, an employee on the assembly line rotates the change frame with the empty parts containers and uses it to operate a so-called retrieval rocker. The control system then receives the signal indicating that new parts need to be delivered. In this way, the control system enables smooth and precisely timed delivery of materials, as well as maintaining intelligent traffic flow in the assembly hall. It also provides optimal route guidance, based on delivery priorities, and ensures transport devices are sensibly parked and their batteries sufficiently charged.

BMW Group Plant Regensburg currently enables intelligent connection between nearly 50 automated tugger trains and more than 140 Smart Transport Robots through the ATS control system. The fleet compromises both automated and autonomous devices from different manufacturers, handling approximately 10,000 part deliveries each workday.

“What makes this so unique are the many sequenced parts specifically tailored to each customer vehicle. They must all be delivered in the order they are installed on the assembly line. Even a brief system failure in the supply of sequenced parts would bring production to a halt – and, of course, that is something we want to avoid,” says Thomas Dietz, responsible for process improvement and quality management for Physical Logistics. “A lot of detailed work on both hardware and software was needed to reach the current status.”

The existing fleet is continuously being expanded to incorporate additional transport routes and vehicles. Plans are also in place to integrate additional types of autonomous vehicles into the control system, step by step, such as autonomous lifting trucks or automated forklifts. “Our vision of intelligently connected logistics, relying on a variety of different autonomous transport systems that seamlessly interact with one another – from small to extremely large – is gradually taking shape,” says Dietz.

The driverless logistics fleet is already being complemented by a recently commissioned autonomous transport vehicle in the Regensburg press shop with a payload capacity of 55 tonnes.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Christian Dürrschmidt, Communications Regensburg,
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 5194, Email: Christian.Duerrschmidt@bmw.de

Saskia Graser, head of Communications Regensburg and Wackersdorf,
Cell phone: +49 151 6060 2014, Email: Saskia.Graser@bmw.de

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmw.de

The BMW Group
The BMW Group has viewed itself for decades as the benchmark for production technology and operational excellence in vehicle construction – including at its locations in Regensburg and Wackersdorf.
The BMW Group vehicle plant in Regensburg has been in operation since 1986 and is one of more than 30 BMW Group production locations worldwide. A total of up to 1,400 vehicles of the BMW X1 and BMW X2 models come off the production line at Plant Regensburg every workday – destined for customers all over the world. Different types of drive trains are flexibly manufactured on a single production line – from vehicles with internal combustion engines to plug-in hybrids, to fully-electric models.

High-voltage batteries for the electric models built in Regensburg are also produced locally, in direct proximity to the vehicle plant. They are assembled at the electric component production facility, which opened in 2021 at the Leibnizstrasse location.

BMW Innovation Park Wackersdorf also belongs to the Regensburg site. The 55-hectare campus built in the 1980s was originally intended as a nuclear reprocessing facility. The BMW Group has located its cockpit production there, as well as its parts supply for overseas plants. In addition to BMW as the largest employer, several other companies are also based at Innovation Park Wackersdorf. A total of around 2,500 employees work there. The BMW Group core staff at the Regensburg and Wackersdorf locations in eastern Bavaria is made up of around 9,250 employees, including more than 300 apprentices.

www.bmwgroup-werke.com/regensburg/de.html