The system, called Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW), debuted as a pilot program in 2022 at BMW's largest European factory in Dingolfing. Now, however, the system has evolved and is ready for series production duty, according to the German carmaker. Initially, the autonomous driving setup was used on the latest generation i5 and i7 electric sedans assembled in Dingolfing, but now that the system is ready for prime time, other BMW models, as well as the new Mini Countryman, will be ferried around the factory without a driver behind the wheel.
In addition to the Dingolfing factory, the company is implementing the system at its Leipzig factory where around 90% of the models assembled will be driven autonomously off the assembly line. After Leipzig, the Regensburg plant in Germany and the Oxford factory in the United Kingdom will also get AFW next year.
At the main Dingolfing site, freshly assembled cars drive without anyone behind the steering wheel along a route of more than 0.62 miles (1 kilometer). The cars begin their autonomous drive from the two assembly halls, go through a 'short test course' and arrive at the finishing area inside the same facility.
Over the next ten years, we will log several million test kilometers with Automated Driving In-Plant in our production network alone, said Milan Nedeljković, member of the BMW Group board responsible for production.
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