In addition to Dingolfing, Leipzig is also currently being enabled to implement the AFW project in series operation. Other facilities in the BMW Group production network are set to follow in stages.
In addition to the BMW 5 Series and 7 Series in Dingolfing, this technology is now also being used for the MINI Countryman and other BMW models in Leipzig. In Dingolfing the new vehicles drive fully autonomously—without a driver—along a route of more than one kilometer, from the two assembly halls, through the “short test course”, to the plant’s finishing area.
This is made possible by sensors installed along the route—creating the largest LIDAR infrastructure in Europe—and relying on an externally generated environment model and an external movement planner. Regardless of the vehicle’s equipment options, this system controls its automated movements, using state-of-the-art cloud architecture. Parts of the technology were provided by the Swiss company Embotech AG, which the BMW Group already cooperated with in the early stages through its venture client unit, the BMW START-UP Garage.
Plant Leipzig plans to introduce automated driving for around 90% of the BMW and MINI models built there, with Plants Regensburg and Oxford set to follow in 2025. The new site in Debrecen, Hungary, will also implement this technology from the official launch of series production.
Going forward, the BMW Group plans to expand its use of Automated Driving In-Plant to other areas of production, such as for driving through the testing zone and in outdoor distribution areas. Production and development experts are also working closely together to refine the technology in-house. Another key factor in expanding the technology is the increasing use of on-board technology, which will support the external sensors in the long term.
