Robotics

Embotech and BMW Move 1M Vehicles With Automated Driving

Embotech and BMW have reached a major milestone, moving one million vehicles using automated driving technology across four production sites in the U.K. and Germany.

Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer

Published: October 28, 2026 · Updated: October 28, 2026 · 3 min read

Embotech and BMW Move 1M Vehicles With Automated Driving — Image: The Robot Report

Reaching a Major Production Milestone

As vehicles roll off the assembly line, human drivers typically need to step inside each one to drive them toward parking areas or load them onto transport trucks. To streamline this workflow, Embotech and BMW announced they have successfully moved 1 million vehicles using advanced automated driving technology across four major manufacturing sites in the U.K. and Germany.

Andreas Kyrtatos, CEO of Embotech, stated that automated vehicle movements only create real value when intelligence, safety, and reliability work together seamlessly. This milestone demonstrates what is possible when established technology is successfully integrated into live production and operated reliably around the clock.

Infrastructure-Based Perception and Software Architecture

The Automated Driving In-Plant system is vehicle- and OEM-agnostic, connecting directly to existing drive-by-wire capabilities. Eva Beck, chief commercial officer at Embotech, explained that perception for Automated Vehicle Marshalling (AVM) is built entirely into the infrastructure rather than the vehicles themselves, meaning cars do not require standalone self-driving sensors.

Hesai lidars are installed directly within the production environment, avoiding the need for any hardware modifications on the vehicles. Standardized software interfaces, offboard computers, and servers then optimize driving trajectories ten times every second to safely guide the vehicles through the factory yards.

Embotech supplies essential components, including artificial intelligence-based software dedicated to perception, prediction, and planning. These tools allow vehicles to navigate complex industrial environments alongside factory workers and manually driven cars in all weather conditions.

Scaling Up Across Global Manufacturing Sites

Following an initial pilot phase launched in 2022, Embotech deployments have expanded across four key BMW locations: Dingolfing, Leipzig, and Regensburg in Germany, alongside the MINI Plant Oxford in the U.K. The technology supports various use cases across distinct production and logistics zones within each individual factory.

Today, BMW and Embotech manage approximately 3,500 vehicle movements daily, maintaining an availability rate exceeding 99.5%. In fast-paced industrial environments, where unexpected downtime can disrupt wider operations, maintaining this level of operational availability remains essential.

Raymond Wittmann, the member of BMW AG’s board responsible for production, noted that reaching one million vehicles highlights the innovative strength and scaling capabilities of the company's production network. He added that the system is a prime example of translating the vision of the BMW iFACTORY into industrial practice.

Accelerating Deployment Pace and Future Expansion

The operational experience gained from thousands of daily movements is actively supporting the continuous refinement of Embotech's perception, prediction, and planning software. According to the company, this compounding knowledge ensures that future software releases and deployments build directly on lessons learned from live production environments.

Kyrtatos highlighted the rapid acceleration in deployment speed, noting that the partners completed their first 500,000 automated vehicle movements in fifteen months, while the subsequent 500,000 took just seven months. For Embotech, the upcoming phase focuses on bringing these proven insights into additional use cases, new sites, and broader industrial environments.

Looking ahead, Beck confirmed plans to introduce the Automated Driving In-Plant system next year at BMW Spartanburg, the South Carolina manufacturing facility where BMW has previously tested humanoid robots. As automotive manufacturers continue to embrace advanced industrial automation, both companies intend to scale their collaborative solutions further across diverse customer programs.