One million vehicles moved without drivers: BMW Group successfully scales automated driving in production

Munich, Oxford. The BMW Group has reached another milestone on the road to digital and intelligently connected production: One million vehicles have now been moved and guided at BMW Group plants using “Automated Driving In-Plant” (AFW) technology. At MINI Plant Oxford alone, this amounts to more than 53,000 automated vehicle movements in the past year. AFW optimises the production process and delivers significant efficiency gains for logistics. The system rollout will continue, with BMW Group Plant Spartanburg next in line.

From pilot project to globally scalable standard application
MINI Plant Oxford is the fourth BMW Group plant after Dingolfing, Leipzig and Regensburg to use this technology. Since the pilot was launched in Dingolfing in 2022, AFW has progressed from an innovative technology trial to a well-established, scalable standard application that will be rolled out in stages across the BMW Group's global production network. In this way, the BMW Group is underlining its pioneering role in digital and automated production processes. An average of around 3,500 automated vehicle movements currently take place every day across the BMW Group network.

“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. We recognised the potential of Automated Driving In-Plant early, tested it in a pilot phase and systematically developed it to series maturity. We are now rolling out this technology worldwide,” said Raymond Wittmann, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production. “Automated Driving In-Plant is a prime example of how we are translating the vision of the BMW iFACTORY into industrial practice and driving the efficiency, digitalisation and intelligent connectivity across our production.”

The network approach is crucial here: AFW is not an individual solution for one plant. The technology can be adapted for different sites, vehicle architectures and production processes. The industrial maturity of the application has been demonstrated by the one million automated vehicle movements already completed.

Using AFW, vehicles can respond dynamically to their surroundings. This not only includes people, but also other vehicles, driverless transport vehicles, logistics traffic and temporary obstacles.

MINI Plant Oxford is the first BMW Group location to connect automated guided vehicles directly with existing control systems. The AFW system precisely positions the vehicle next to a lifting device, where a specific operation is carried out. Automated interaction between vehicle and equipment is enabled by a cloud-based solution. This marks the next logical step in the integration and scaling of automated vehicle movements in the production environment.

Oxford provides a unique setting for this technology. The plant, considered the home of the MINI brand, can look back on more than 100 years of industrial history. Here, state-of-the-art software, sensors and cloud technologies meet a production environment that has been part of British automotive history for generations.

Technology leadership through intelligent connectivity
AFW moves new vehicles without a driver in defined production and logistics areas. The technology is based on an intelligent combination of external sensors, cloud architecture and advanced motion planning software. Along the route, LiDAR sensors constantly capture the environment, enabling secure vehicle navigation in real time. Artificial intelligence supports the continuous development, simulation and operation of this technology. At its Dingolfing plant, the BMW Group operates the largest LiDAR infrastructure in Europe. This forms the basis for automated driving manoeuvres and, at the same time, provides valuable insights for further deployment within the production network.

With its successful industrialisation of AFW, the BMW Group is not only assuming a leading role within the automotive industry. The technology it has developed is also setting cross-sector standards for automated movement and logistics processes in industrial environments.

Outlook: Further expansion of AFW across the BMW Group network
The BMW Group is continuing the systematic AFW rollout across its production network. Within the next year, the technology will also be introduced at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg. In this way, the global application will continue to expand, laying the foundation for further applications in the production environment.

With AFW, the BMW Group is systematically driving the transformation towards the digital and intelligently connected BMW iFACTORY and demonstrating how innovations can be successfully transitioned from pilot project to large-scale industrial production.

The Automated Driving In-Plant technology was developed in close collaboration with Swiss company Embotech and further scaled through several development phases. Following a multi-year partnership between Embotech and the BMW Startup Garage, which identifies and supports innovative technologies in the early stages, the company's own venture capital fund, BMW i Ventures, acquired a financial interest in Embotech in December 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions about AFW:

What does Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) mean?
Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) is a BMW Group technology that enables the driverless movement of new vehicles in defined production and logistics areas. Using AFW, vehicles can respond dynamically to people, other vehicles, driverless transport vehicles, logistics traffic and temporary obstacles.

What milestone has the BMW Group achieved with AFW?
At MINI Plant Oxford, the BMW Group reached the milestone of one million vehicles moved using AFW technology within the production environment.

Why is this milestone so significant?
The milestone of one million automated vehicle movements demonstrates how successfully AFW has evolved since the pilot project was launched at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in 2022. The technology shows how innovations are transferred into large-scale industrial production and is setting cross-sector standards for automated movement and logistics processes.

How does Automated Driving In-Plant work?
AFW combines external sensors, cloud architecture and motion planning software. Along the route, LiDAR sensors continuously capture the environment, enabling vehicles to navigate in real time.

What makes AFW unique?
A key feature of AFW is its use of offboard sensors: The sensors required for automated driving are installed in the plant infrastructure. This allows vehicles to be moved automatically regardless of their individual equipment specification. At the same time, the offboard sensors enable reliable monitoring of larger areas and narrow passages, supporting an efficient process flow. AFW is also CE-certified for safe use in the production environment. This creates an important foundation for scaling the technology to additional areas and further BMW Group plants.

What is the significance of the LiDAR infrastructure for AFW?
As a central component of AFW, the LiDAR infrastructure forms the basis for automated driving manoeuvres within the plant. Along the route, LiDAR sensors continuously capture the environment, enabling the safe navigation of vehicles. At BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, the BMW Group currently operates the largest LiDAR infrastructure in Europe, providing valuable insights for the further deployment of the technology across the production network.

What role does AFW play in the BMW iFACTORY?
The BMW iFACTORY represents the BMW Group’s digital and intelligently connected production. AFW consistently advances this vision and demonstrates how innovations can be successfully transferred from a pilot project into large-scale industrial production.

How many automated vehicle movements take place each day across the BMW Group production network?
An average of around 3,500 automated vehicle movements currently take place every day across the BMW Group production network.

How many AFW vehicle movements have been completed at MINI Plant Oxford?
More than 53,000 automated vehicle movements were completed at MINI Plant Oxford in the past year.

What is special about the AFW application at MINI Plant Oxford?
Oxford is the first BMW Group location where automated vehicle movements are directly connected with existing control systems. The AFW system precisely positions vehicles next to a lifting device, where defined work steps are carried out.

At which BMW Group plants is AFW already in use?
AFW is currently in operation at BMW Group Plants Dingolfing, Leipzig and Regensburg, as well as at MINI Plant Oxford. Oxford is the fourth site to deploy the technology.

Who developed the AFW technology?
The AFW technology was developed in close collaboration between the BMW Group and Swiss technology company Embotech. The collaboration was enabled through the BMW Startup Garage, which identifies and supports innovative technologies. Embotech has been supported by the BMW Group since 2018 and has since established itself as a global logistics partner.

Which plant will introduce AFW next?
BMW Group Plant Spartanburg will become the fifth site in the production network to introduce AFW in series operation from 2027.

What role does artificial intelligence play in AFW?
Artificial intelligence supports the continuous development, simulation and operation of the technology. AI helps make development processes more efficient and enables new functions to be tested and validated more quickly.

What significance does the AFW milestone have for the BMW iFACTORY?
The BMW Group is continuously developing AFW and rolling out the technology step by step across its global production network. In doing so, the company is consistently advancing the transformation towards the digital and intelligently connected BMW iFACTORY.