BMW Group Plant Munich is ready for the production of the next vehicle generation. The manufacturing equipment has been installed in the new body shop and assembly line, and functional checks have been successfully completed. During this so-called "Common Function Test," every system undergoes dry runs, in which production planners and plant technicians put the machinery through its paces. All production steps are executed without any parts in the system. Cycle by cycle, an invisible vehicle takes shape. Although no actual car is produced, this process provides the certainty that everything operates seamlessly and as planned.

Design explanation of the MINI Paul Smith Edition

Video: MINI and Paul Smith at the Japan Mobility Show 2025.

Video: MINI and Paul Smith at the Japan Mobility Show 2025.

Video Footage Exterior and Interieur of the MINI JCW x DEUS Showcar - The Machina

Video Footage Exterior and Interieur of the MINI JCW x DEUS Showcars - The Machina & The Skeg

Video Footage Exterior and Interieur of the MINI JCW x DEUS Showcar - The Skeg

Onboard recording of the record lap with graphics

The BMW Group is industrialising its Virtual Factory, with production planners continuously scaling applications in the digital twins of over 30 production sites to accelerate production planning worldwide. What once required several weeks of real-world modifications and testing can now be precisely simulated in the BMW Group's Virtual Factory.

For every launch, it is essential to verify that the new product fits on the production line and does not collide with its surroundings at any point. In the BMW Group's Virtual Factory, the collision check is digital, automated and fast, using construction data combined with 3D scans. The movement and rotation of a vehicle through the production lines are precisely simulated, allowing the system to automatically check for possible collisions. What now takes just three days to simulate virtually previously required almost four weeks of real testing.