Figure & BMW bringing general purpose robots to automotive production

[Morris Minor]

This is a big deal IMO. Humanoid robots doing the nasty tasks & able to share space with real actual humans. All those ex-DeepMind/Cruise/Argo employees doing cool & groovy stuff.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/figure-announces-commercial-agreement-with-bmw-manufacturing-to-bring-general-purpose-robots-into-automotive-production-302036263.html

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Figure, a California-based company developing autonomous humanoid robots, today announced that it has signed a commercial agreement with BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC to deploy general purpose robots in automotive manufacturing environments.

Figure's humanoid robots enable the automation of difficult, unsafe, or tedious tasks throughout the manufacturing process, which in turn allows employees to focus on skills and processes that cannot be automated, as well as continuous improvement in production efficiency and safety.

"Single-purpose robotics have saturated the commercial market for decades, but the potential of general purpose robotics is completely untapped. Figure's robots will enable companies to increase productivity, reduce costs, and create a safer and more consistent environment," said Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure. "We look forward to working side-by-side with BMW Manufacturing to integrate AI and robotics into automotive production."

Under the agreement, BMW Manufacturing and Figure will pursue a milestone-based approach. In the first phase, Figure will identify initial use cases to apply the Figure robots in automotive production. Once the first phase has been completed, the Figure robots will begin staged deployment at BMW's manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Beyond the deployment of humanoid robots in an automotive manufacturing environment, BMW Manufacturing and Figure jointly will explore advanced technology topics such as artificial intelligence, robot control, manufacturing virtualization, and robot integration.

"The automotive industry, and with it the production of vehicles, is evolving rapidly. BMW Manufacturing is committed to integrating innovative technologies in our production systems to drive our future forward as an industry leader and innovator. The use of general purpose robot solutions has the potential to make productivity more efficient, to support the growing demands of our consumers, and to enable our team to focus on the transformation ahead of us," said Dr. Robert Engelhorn, President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing.

About Figure

Figure is an AI Robotics company developing autonomous general purpose humanoid robots. Our Humanoid is designed for initial deployment into the workforce to address jobs that are undesirable or unsafe, and to support supply chain and manufacturing on a global scale. Figure is based in Sunnyvale, California.

For more information about Figure, visit www.figure.ai.

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC

BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC is an indirect subsidiary of BMW AG in Munich, Germany, and assembles the BMW X3, X3 M, X5, X5 M and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles; the BMW X4, X4 M, X6 and X6 M Sports Activity Coupes; and the BMW XM. In addition to the South Carolina manufacturing facility, BMW Group subsidiaries in North America include sales, marketing, and financial services operations in the United States, Canada and throughout Latin America; a manufacturing plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico; and a design firm and technology office in California. For more information on BMW Manufacturing, visit www.bmwusfactory.com.

SOURCE Figure AI Inc.

[giant_mtb]

I'll believe it when I see it. Just wasted 11.5 minutes watching a video where the robot was shown doing nothing but awkwardly walking around.

https://youtu.be/48qL8Jt39Vs?si=RW3hr8_6j15SBrNq

[GoCougs]

Thing is, Boston Dynamics has been at it for literally 30+ years and humanoid robots still don't really work, and even then, the cost (too much) and software (too complex) are showstoppers.

The average auto factory is already highly automated (I'm sure everyone's seen the YouTube videos) so I'm not sure what these robots would be doing, even if they worked.

This is ~$100k (I bought one in a previous life). The real solution here is, get rid of the door (handle). IOW, the answer is design the product and processes for automation.

[FoMoJo]

Thing is, Boston Dynamics has been at it for literally 30+ years and humanoid robots still don't really work, and even then, the cost (too much) and software (too complex) are showstoppers.

The average auto factory is already highly automated (I'm sure everyone's seen the YouTube videos) so I'm not sure what these robots would be doing, even if they worked.

This is ~$100k (I bought one in a previous life). The real solution here is, get rid of the door (handle). IOW, the answer is design the product and processes for automation.

Did you buy it to open doors for you?

[SJ_GTI]

I kind of agree with Gougs. Most automation I see in my job is about removing obstacles that relatively simple machines/vision software can already do.

That being said, I could foresee a situation where better software could improve existing, but relatively simple, robotics.

[MrH]

Humanoid robots is just lame stock pumping.  It worked for the meme stock, so BMW is just trying to cash in the same. The reality is, purpose built robotics and automation already exists and is infinitely better than humanoid robots.  There isn't a single use case currently, and for the foreseeable future.

[GoCougs]

Did you buy it to open doors for you?

"I" (at former employer) bought it just to mess around. We were in a bit of trouble for not spending enough so why not? The title of our group had "robotics" in it. We had it do stuff like go up stairs, follow paths via a line on the floor and then follow instructions via QR codes.

It is actually an excellent product. Well put together, good materials, good documentation, good instructions, good APIs, good tech support. It's just that it's never going to do anything useful, or at least never anything that would justify its purchase price let alone 30+ years of development.

[GoCougs]

I kind of agree with Gougs. Most automation I see in my job is about removing obstacles that relatively simple machines/vision software can already do.

That being said, I could foresee a situation where better software could improve existing, but relatively simple, robotics.

This is a PR stunt that took inordinate amounts of programming which largely does not scale. Every action needs to be coded = inordinate programming to replace a factory worker doing factory things throughout the day (IOW, millions $$$ of time per robot).

[Eye of the Tiger]

I am more interested in biorobotics with living tissue and sentience.

[Laconian]

Humanoid robots is just lame stock pumping.  It worked for the meme stock, so BMW is just trying to cash in the same. The reality is, purpose built robotics and automation already exists and is infinitely better than humanoid robots.  There isn't a single use case currently, and for the foreseeable future.

It works so well. It gets the stupid, goggle-eyed retail investors hot and bothered the same way crypto did a few years ago. To them, futuristic anthropomorphic robots are completely synonymous with "AI".

[giant_mtb]

It works so well. It gets the stupid, goggle-eyed retail investors hot and bothered the same way crypto did a few years ago. To them, futuristic anthropomorphic robots are completely synonymous with "AI".

Kinda weird that BMW has fallen for it.  Or is it just their way of subtley acquiring them.

[Morris Minor]

Kinda weird that BMW has fallen for it.  Or is it just their way of subtley acquiring them.

Yeah - that's what had me wondering. Figure is different from the heuristics-based efforts of others. Or it's stock-pumping fwaud & scamsterism.

[AutobahnSHO]

"AI"                  

Term gets thrown around a lot, with "machine learning". It's not what the people in the boardroom think it is- currently theoretical.
The smileys are my internal response to anytime I see AI thrown around.

[Morris Minor]

Maybe BMW's turning to robots to design vehicles for them. Something that doesn't don't look like it's been beaten with a shovel then an ugly stick.

[GoCougs]

Sorry, MM - thread didn't go quite as you expected!

[AutobahnSHO]

This is a PR stunt that took inordinate amounts of programming which largely does not scale. Every action needs to be coded = inordinate programming to replace a factory worker doing factory things throughout the day (IOW, millions $$$ of time per robot).

I mean, on one level if you can get the programming 100% right ONCE, you could shove it into countless robots.

Of course hardware changes or failures would mean HOURS and HOURS again....

[Morris Minor]

Sorry, MM - thread didn't go quite as you expected!

Oh no - it was entirely predictable

[AutobahnSHO]

Oh no - it was entirely predictable

[Morris Minor]

Bezos, Microsoft join OpenAI in humanoid robot startup

Jeff Bezos, Nvidia and other big technology names are investing in a business that's developing humanlike robots, according to people with knowledge of the situation, part of a scramble to find new applications for artificial intelligence.
The startup Figure — also backed by OpenAI and Microsoft — is raising about $675 million in a funding round that carries a pre-money valuation of roughly $2 billion, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.
More...
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/bezos-microsoft-join-openai-in-humanoid-robot-startup/