BMW Cars Drive Themselves Outdoors in Factory—Here’s How It Works

At BMW’s Regensburg plant, something futuristic is happening—cars are moving through the facility all by themselves. Thanks to the BMW iFACTORY initiative, automated driving inside the factory has now expanded outdoors. Since early this year, brand-new BMW X1 and X2 models are driving themselves from the final assembly line, out of the building, and into the trailer yard—without using the car’s own sensors. Instead, an external sensor system with LIDAR technology tracks the vehicle’s position, sending real-time driving instructions from the cloud.

The innovation boosts factory efficiency and safety, especially with TÜV-certified systems that can stop a car instantly if needed. Project manager Klaus Grabinger pointed out how this outdoor rollout had to account for weather and sun glare, ensuring reliability in all conditions.

This breakthrough is not just local—BMW is preparing to roll out the technology globally. Regensburg’s success is already shaping the future plant in Debrecen, Hungary.

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