The brief
- Schaeffler plans to deploy at least 1,000 AEON robots across its plants by 2032, after a 2025 pilot.
- AEON is doing production tasks at BMW's Leipzig plant; BMW aims for full production use by end of 2026.
- Leans on Hexagon's laser scanning and measurement know-how, so inspection is a core job, not an add-on.
Technical approach
Wheels on legs
Legs that end in wheels
AEON rolls on flat factory floors, faster and steadier than walking, while its legs still let it crouch, reach and balance.
Sensing
Measurement-grade sensors
A multimodal sensor suite draws on Hexagon's scanning business, so AEON can inspect parts and capture 3D digital twins as it works.
Power
Swaps its own battery
AEON changes its battery itself instead of docking to recharge, so it can keep working across shifts.
Training
Simulation first, then real data
Skills are trained in Nvidia's Isaac simulator and refined with data from pilot factories, then rolled out to new stations.
