BMW has surpassed one million driverless vehicle movements using its Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) technology, marking a major milestone in the automaker’s efforts to digitize factory operations. The system is now active at four production facilities across Europe, allowing new vehicles to move through designated manufacturing and logistics areas without a driver behind the wheel.

The latest facility to adopt the technology is MINI Plant Oxford in the United Kingdom, joining BMW’s German plants in Dingolfing, Leipzig and Regensburg. Since its initial trial in Dingolfing in 2022, AFW has developed from a pilot project into a standardized system that BMW intends to expand across its global production network.

BMW Automates Thousands of Vehicle Movements Daily

BMW currently averages approximately 3,500 automated vehicle movements per day across its production facilities. At MINI Plant Oxford alone, the system completed more than 53,000 movements over the past year, demonstrating its growing role in routine factory operations.

The technology enables vehicles to navigate factory environments without requiring a person to drive them between designated locations. BMW’s approach relies on infrastructure installed throughout the facility rather than autonomous driving hardware fitted to each individual vehicle.

How BMW’s Automated Driving In-Plant Technology Works

BMW’s AFW system uses LiDAR sensors positioned around factory facilities to continuously monitor surrounding conditions. Cloud-based computing and motion-planning software then determine how vehicles should move through designated production and logistics areas.

This arrangement allows new cars to navigate around workers, other vehicles, driverless transport systems and temporary obstacles in real time. Artificial intelligence is also used to develop, simulate and operate the technology.

Because the necessary sensors and related hardware are installed in the factory infrastructure, vehicles do not need their own autonomous driving sensors. This allows BMW to automate vehicle movements regardless of individual vehicle specifications.

MINI Oxford Integrates Automated Driving With Factory Equipment

At MINI Plant Oxford, BMW has connected AFW directly to existing factory control systems for the first time. The integration allows the technology to position vehicles precisely beside lifting equipment for specific production tasks.

Cloud-based systems coordinate interactions between vehicles and machinery, extending AFW beyond moving cars from one location to another. The technology can also support more precise vehicle positioning within production workflows.

BMW’s Dingolfing facility, which builds the new 3 Series (G50) with combustion engines, has Europe’s largest LiDAR infrastructure, according to the automaker. That infrastructure provides a foundation for automated maneuvers and supports the expansion of the system to additional production sites.

BMW Plans to Bring AFW Technology to South Carolina in 2027

BMW’s next planned deployment is at its Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, where AFW is scheduled to enter series operation in 2027. The facility would become the fifth production site to use the technology as BMW continues developing a digitalized manufacturing network.

The automaker developed AFW in close collaboration with Swiss technology company Embotech. The partnership originated through BMW Startup Garage, which works with emerging technology companies. BMW’s venture capital arm, BMW i Ventures, acquired a financial interest in Embotech in December 2024.

What Automated Vehicle Movements Mean for BMW Factories

BMW’s milestone reflects the expanding use of automation in vehicle manufacturing and logistics. Automating vehicle movements can streamline logistics, reduce manual handling and help production facilities operate more efficiently.

The system is designed to adapt to different factories, vehicle architectures and production processes, giving BMW options for expanding its use across the company’s manufacturing network.

With more than one million automated vehicle movements completed, four European facilities currently using AFW and the Spartanburg plant scheduled to follow in 2027, BMW is continuing to extend driverless vehicle operations within its factories.