The Future of BMW Production: No Drivers, Just AI

The BMW Group Plant in Regensburg is doing something that feels straight out of the future. Since early 2025, brand-new BMW vehicles have been driving themselves through the factory – and not just indoors. For the first time, these cars are also navigating the outdoors, completely driverless. No sensors inside the car are used. Instead, LIDAR units installed along the route detect surroundings, while real-time motion planning software guides the vehicles from the assembly line through a roller gate and into the trailer yard.

This innovation is part of the BMW iFACTORY vision, where intelligent logistics and automation improve efficiency without compromising safety. Plant Manager Armin Ebner sees it as a milestone in digital factory transformation. The system even accounts for sunlight, slippery surfaces, and obstacles. And with TÜV certification, the safety standards are top-tier.

BMW is already planning to bring this tech to other plants, like Debrecen in Hungary, where vehicles will also move autonomously outdoors.

This is just the beginning of a new era in vehicle manufacturing. If you are excited about the future of automation and smart factories.