TECHNOLOGY NEWS

ANDROID ASSISTANTS

Robotics startup Figure has announced a signed partnership with BMW Manufacturing to deploy its humanoid robots in the automaker’s facilities in the United States.This new partnership marks the first commercial deal that Figure has signed since it was first founded in 2022. While the company did not disclose how many robots BMW will be using, the partnership will start with small quantities and then expand if performance targets have been met, according to Brett Adcock, chief executive at Figure. Figure’s humanoid robots will be deployed in BMW’s manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina for the trial run. Here, the robots will be integrated into manufacturing processes including the body shop, sheet metal and warehouse after being trained to perform specific tasks such as heavy manual labour. The robots are expected to be on the manufacturing floor in the next 12 to 24 months.