The manufacturer BMW has started a project for autonomous driving in a plant that makes production more efficient.
The Bavarian vehicle manufacturer bmw has initiated a project in which cars maneuver through production without drivers. The project “Automated driving in the factory” (AFW) is being implemented in cooperation with two startups and is intended to increase the efficiency of new vehicle logistics in factories and distribution centers.
The pilot’s goal is safe vehicle movement in terms of efficiency and autonomous driving in logistics and assembly areas. The startups areSeoul Robotics from South Korea and Embotech from Switzerland. The new concept has been in production at the BMW plant since this month Dingolfing carried out and initially affects two vehicle series: the 7 Series and the all-electric i7.
The project, which will last several months, combines two core technologies: the sensor infrastructure to support vehicle localization and detection of obstacles in the factory environment, and navigation software that transmits cellular-controlled commands to the driverless vehicles. The vehicles then steer from the assembly line to one parking spot, where they await the journey to the destination.
The environment is monitored by a digital twin, which Seoul Robotics made possible. The timetable software was developed by Embotech. The routes are calculated in real time and the vehicles can react independently to their surroundings.