NewsBytes
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    More
    In the news
    Narendra Modi
    Amit Shah
    Box Office Collection
    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
    OTT releases
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    NewsBytes
    User Placeholder

    Hi,

    Logout

    India
    Business
    World
    Politics
    Sports
    Technology
    Entertainment
    Auto
    Lifestyle
    Inspirational
    Career
    Bengaluru
    Delhi
    Mumbai

    Download Android App

    Follow us on
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    Home / News / Technology News / Are robots taking over car factories? BMW says yes
    Summarize
    Next Article
    Are robots taking over car factories? BMW says yes
    Figure 01 can operate for 5 hours on a single charge

    Are robots taking over car factories? BMW says yes

    By Akash Pandey
    Jul 06, 2024
    03:45 pm

    What's the story

    California-based robotics firm, Figure, has released a video demonstrating its humanoid robot, Figure 01, participating in the car assembly process at BMW's facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

    The video highlighted the robot's ability to perform all tasks autonomously using neural networks, that map pixels directly to actions.

    Another clip demonstrating Figure 01 brewing coffee post a 10-hour training session was also put out.

    Autonomous race

    Carmakers testing human-like robots for years

    Several automakers are exploring humanoid robots for production.

    Besides BMW, firms such as Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and Hyundai have been testing human-like robots for years to automate tasks on assembly lines.

    Figure's video demonstration follows the company's first commercial agreement with BMW in January 2024, to deploy its fully autonomous robot on the German carmaker's production line.

    Capabilities

    Figure 01: A versatile addition to BMW's production line

    Figure 01 is designed to execute a variety of manufacturing jobs including handling sheet metal, operating in the body shop, and managing the warehouse.

    The fully electric robot stands 1.6m tall and weighs 60kg with a payload capacity of 19.96kg. It can operate for five hours on a single charge.

    Upon deployment in January, Figure announced that the robots would undergo training for twelve to twenty-four months, before being integrated into the facility with precise skills required for each task.

    Technology

    OpenAI's vision-language model powers the robot

    The humanoid robot's abilities are fueled by a vision-language model from OpenAI, which processes data from Figure 01's cameras.

    The robot's neural networks process images at a rate of 10Hz via its cameras, and produce actions with 24-degree of freedom at 200Hz.

    According to Figure, AI systems ensure accurate placement of sheet metal within tolerances tighter than 1cm, and navigation is accomplished solely through simulated object training.

    Figure's vision

    Addressing workforce challenges with automation

    Figure aims to create a global model that can manage billion-unit humanoid robots, as it identifies about 10 million unsafe/undesirable jobs in the US alone.

    The company believes an aging population will exacerbate workforce scaling problems, leading to a stagnant labor supply rise this century.

    To counter this, Figure suggests that increased productivity through more automation is required.

    Progress

    Figure's rapid advancements and future prospects

    Founded by Brett Adcock in 2022, Figure has made significant strides due to a talented team of ex-employees from tech giants like Boston Dynamics, Tesla, Archer Aviation, and Google's DeepMind.

    Figure 01 swiftly transitioned from concept to reality, demonstrating basic autonomous functions by mid-2023.

    By the end of the year, its adaptive learning abilities were refined and it was set for integration into BMW's workforce by mid-January.

    Facebook
    Whatsapp
    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Related News
    Latest
    BMW
    OpenAI
    Robots

    Latest

    KL Rahul averages 74.23 versus MI in IPL: Key stats  KL Rahul
    Mysore Rajamata donates 100kg silver lamps to Tirumala temple  Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams
    2 trains escape derailments in UP: How loco-pilots averted disasters   Indian Railways
    England's XI for Zimbabwe Test features uncapped Sam Cook: Details England Cricket Team

    BMW

    BMW 7 Series Protection armored sedan goes official in India India
    Upcoming iX3 will be BMW's first Neue Klasse EV SUV Cars
    This BMW EV has color changing body: How it works Latest Cars
    BMW X5 M, X6 M revealed with Manhart body kit SUV Cars

    OpenAI

    'GODMODE GPT': Hacker releases jailbroken version of ChatGPT ChatGPT
    Apple, OpenAI ink billion-dollar AI deal: ChatGPT to power Siri? Apple
    Russian, Chinese, Israeli groups using AI to spread disinformation: OpenAI Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
    OpenAI unveils ChatGPT Edu for universities interested in using AI ChatGPT

    Robots

    Now, you can control robots with simple hand gestures Drones
    Singapore deploys 'robo-dog' to make sure people observe social distancing Singapore
    Boston Dynamics' robo-dog available at a whopping Rs. 57 lakh Tesla Model S
    This robot can swab your nose for COVID-19 testing Technology
    Indian Premier League (IPL) Celebrity Hollywood Bollywood UEFA Champions League Tennis Football Smartphones Cryptocurrency Upcoming Movies Premier League Cricket News Latest automobiles Latest Cars Upcoming Cars Latest Bikes Upcoming Tablets
    About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive Download DevBytes Find Cricket Statistics
    Follow us on
    Facebook Twitter Linkedin
    All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2025