In October 2025, Figure showed us what his new humanoid robot was capable of. The Figure 03 boasted a new design and much more precise dexterity, allowing it to move around the house and do such delicate tasks as picking up dishes or folding clothes. Although it is not for sale at the moment, Figure 03 has already started its first work. The chosen place has been the BMW factory in New Jersey.
It is not the first time that BMW integrates humanoid robots in their factories. In fact, this new pilot program is the continuation of a first phase in which the previous model, the Figure 02, was supporting the production of the BMW X3 and previously They also had Figure 01 “in practice”.
A very technological warehouse boy
Figure 02 spent ten months at the BMW plant in Spartanburg, specifically in the body department. His job was to load the sheet metal panels that dress the BMW X3. Specifically, it helped the production of more than 30,000 vehicles. Now, Figure 03 has a totally different job that takes advantage of its new capabilities.
The department where Figure 03 operates is assembly logistics. Here they receive the components in large, messy containers. Your job will be to collect them and sort them into carts that are sent to the assembly line in a specific order. In its first job, Figure’s robot had a very specific task in that it always picked up the same pieces, but now it must pick up pieces of different shapes, weights and sizes, which requires greater adaptability and precision.
Figure 03 introduces important improvements compared to the previous generation, such as a design with soft parts that makes it safer, cameras in hands that improve the grip of objects and much more sensitive touch sensors.
A key test
This pilot is part of the initiative BMW iFactoryits global production strategy that seeks to promote digitalization starting with warehouse number 52 of the Spartanburg plant. The BMW X3 is produced here and the BMW iX5 electric. In this plant, technologies such as 3D simulations have already been implemented to optimize processes and vision and sound systems based on AI that provide real-time feedback to operators.
Unlike the first pilot, this time they have chosen a more complex task in the sense that it undergoes changes and does not always follow the same pattern, which makes traditional industrial robots not the best option. If Figure 03 manages to maintain the precision and rhythm of the assembly line, it will be the litmus test to see whether humanoid robots can go from being a laboratory demonstration to a real worker.
Images | bmw
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