Autonomous Driving Technology Revolutionizes Automaker Factories… BMW Leads the Way, and Japan Shows Interest
About 100 km northeast of BMW’s headquarters in Munich, Germany, lies the Dingolfing plant. This facility is dedicated to producing BMW’s core vehicle models and electric vehicle powertrains. After assembly, the 7 Series vehicles autonomously move to the yard without a driver. Equipped with LiDAR (a device that uses lasers to estimate the position of objects), the autonomous driving assistance system installed within the factory allows the vehicles to navigate independently. On average, about 1,000 vehicles autonomously move around the factory each day. BMW first implemented this technology in 2022, and remarkably, there have been zero accidents to date. The autonomous driving system that has captured BMW’s interest is powered by South Korea's Seoul Robotics.
Autonomous driving technology is gaining attention not only in the automotive industry but also in logistics hubs such as factories and ports. These sites operate 24/7 without pause, and the rising labor costs are prompting many companies to turn to autonomous technology. According to global market research firm Research and Markets, the global unmanned mobile robot market is expected to reach $20 billion (approximately 27 trillion KRW) by 2028.
A Revolutionary Technology: Compact LiDAR Sensors Transforming Industrial Sites
The core component of industrial autonomous driving is the LiDAR sensor, which is about the size of a human fist. For example, factories employing autonomous driving technology may embed up to 200 LiDAR sensors across their premises to create a detailed 3D map. Software installed in vehicles uses this map to drive autonomously. This technology is expanding beyond automotive plants to ports and logistics centers. Hanbin Lee, CEO of Seoul Robotics, stated, "Globally, about 4,000 automobile factories collectively spend 20 billion KRW annually on labor for vehicle transport within facilities. This expense can be significantly reduced. In addition to BMW, we are discussing new projects with major automakers in Japan and the United States."
Beyond autonomous driving, the development of autonomous mobile robots is also in full swing. Parking and logistics robots have recently garnered attention. Parking robots, for instance, are flat pallet-like devices that lift and move vehicles. Companies like HL Mando, Hyundai Wia, and Sampyo Group are nearing the commercialization of parking robots, which can be utilized in tight parking spaces or congested warehouses.
Toyota’s Vision: A Factory Without Conveyor Belts
Japan’s Toyota is taking things a step further by envisioning a factory without conveyor belts. In June 2023, Toyota introduced a new assembly method alongside its next-generation electric vehicle platform at a technical workshop. This approach eliminates conveyor belts, allowing partially assembled EVs to autonomously move between assembly lines within the factory. Without conveyor belts, the traditional large-scale factory layout may become obsolete, reducing initial investment costs. This method also enables small-batch production of diverse vehicle models. Toyota plans to introduce this innovative production system at its U.S. factory first.
In Korea, no automaker has yet adopted or is actively considering autonomous driving technology for its factories. Although Hyundai Motor Group continues to invest in autonomous driving, it has yet to achieve notable results in this area. Ho-geun Lee, a professor in the Department of Automotive Studies at Daedeok University, noted, "Hyundai faces challenges such as labor union opposition when investing in or developing such automation systems. Delayed investment can lead to a vicious cycle where Hyundai loses price competitiveness against overseas automakers."
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