Humanoid Robotics Technology
Figure has announced the latest milestone in its partnership with BMW Group, with the deployment of its next-generation humanoid robot, Figure 03, at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg.
The arrival of Figure 03 follows the successful use of Figure 02 on BMW’s production lines in 2025, where the robot contributed to the assembly of more than 30,000 vehicles. Building on that experience, Figure 03 is now being used for a more advanced logistics application known as sequencing.
Unlike traditional pick-and-place tasks, sequencing requires parts to be identified, selected, and organized for downstream assembly operations despite variations in their position and orientation. The workflow presents a highly dynamic environment that is difficult to automate using fixed automation systems or conventional industrial robots.
At the heart of the deployment is Helix 02, Figure’s proprietary vision-language-action model, which enables coordinated whole-body control. Helix 02 synchronizes Figure 03’s hands, arms, torso, and legs, allowing the robot to manipulate parts while simultaneously moving through the workspace and pulling heavy carts.
The deployment demonstrates one of the key advantages of humanoid robotics: the ability to combine mobility, dexterity, and forceful manipulation within a single system. Figure 03 can accurately pick and place thin-walled components before transitioning seamlessly to tasks that require whole-body coordination, such as moving large metal carts through the production environment.
Sequencing operations are particularly challenging because parts rarely arrive in perfectly consistent positions. Components may shift, rotate, become partially obscured, or present differently from one cycle to the next. Rather than relying on pre-programmed motions, Figure 03 continuously perceives its surroundings and adjusts its movements in real time.
The task becomes even more complex when manipulation and locomotion must occur simultaneously. While grasping parts with both hands, Figure 03 must adjust its footing, maintain balance, reposition its body, and place components accurately into designated locations. Helix 02 enables this behavior through high-frequency visual-motor control, allowing the robot to adapt to changing conditions and correct for variations as the workflow progresses.
The deployment marks another step forward in bringing general-purpose humanoid robots into real-world manufacturing environments, expanding their role from repetitive handling tasks to more dynamic production and logistics operations.
SOURCE: Figure
