The automaker has initiated a trial at its Leipzig facility with Hexagon Robotics’ AEON humanoid. This follows an 11-month successful test in the US with Figure AI’s robots and coincides with the production chief who led the program taking on the CEO role.
A new addition has appeared on BMW’s Leipzig factory floor. Standing 1.65 meters tall and weighing 60 kilograms, AEON stands on wheels instead of feet. This marks a breakthrough for European industry: Germany’s first humanoid robot used in production.
BMW Group introduced the Leipzig pilot project on March 9, 2026, as part of its ‘physical AI’ strategy. The robot, created by Hexagon Robotics—the physical AI sector of Sweden-based Hexagon—is headquartered in Zürich.
The announcement comes as Milan Nedeljković, BMW’s Production Board Member, is set to become CEO on May 14, 2026. His promotion was revealed in December 2025, making the Leipzig launch one of his final major acts as production chief, indicative of his leadership priorities.
AEON lacks traditional feet, using wheels for movement up to 2.5 meters per second on flat surfaces, with the ability to step over obstacles. Its human-like torso allows for interchangeable gripping tools and devices, providing flexibility absent in fixed-arm robots.
Equipped with 22 integrated sensors, including cameras and navigation systems, AEON offers 360-degree spatial awareness. Utilizing NVIDIA’s Jetson Orin computers and trained via NVIDIA’s Isaac platform, Hexagon optimized AEON’s development time to weeks instead of months.
Initially, AEON supports high-voltage battery assembly and component production at Leipzig, engaging in repetitive, precise tasks. Operational since December 2025, full pilot integration is expected by summer, with further testing planned for April 2026.
Michael Nikolaides, BMW Group’s Senior VP of Production Network, emphasized the company’s goal to lead in technology integration, testing adaptive AI-enabled robots in real-world settings through pilot projects.
Hexagon, rarely associated with humanoid robots, has a long history in precision technology. Its Robotics division, formed for AEON’s development, launched the robot at Hexagon LIVE Global in 2025, in collaboration with NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Maxon. Arnaud Robert, Hexagon Robotics President, highlighted the industrial focus over entertainment, stating, “We’re in the working business.”
BMW, a longstanding partner in sensor and software technologies with Hexagon, now jointly advances their robotics initiative, with Leipzig hosting AEON’s debut in automotive manufacturing. Other partners include Pilatus and Schaeffler.
BMW’s AEON adoption in Leipzig follows a successful Figure AI deployment in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Results showed Figure 02 handling significant workload shifts, processing over 90,000 components, and aiding the production of numerous vehicles.
Stepping from lab to live production proved rapid, prompting BMW to implement expanded safety measures and technological upgrades during deployment. Figure AI now tests its next-generation robot, Figure 03, for future use.
BMW’s iFACTORY vision hinges on lean, green, and digital principles, unifying IT and data to support digital and physical AI advancements. Humanoid robots represent the physical extension of BMW’s digital strategy.
Nedeljković remarked that digitalization enhances competitiveness and opens new production possibilities, a sentiment echoed as BMW establishes a Centre of Competence for Physical AI, guiding AI and robotics integration across BMW plants globally.
BMW emphasizes humanoid robots as worker complements, targeting repetitive or safety-critical tasks to enable human focus on quality and technical management.