BMW’s GenAI4Q project brings tailored AI-driven quality control

BMW’s GenAI4Q system at Regensburg uses AI for real-time, vehicle-specific inspections via app, streamlining final checks in car production.

At BMW Group’s Regensburg plant, a new pilot project called GenAI4Q is reshaping how quality control is approached in vehicle production. With the help of artificial intelligence, inspections are now tailored to each individual car, responding to the increasing complexity of modern automotive manufacturing.

Roughly 1,400 vehicles roll off the assembly line at Regensburg every day — ranging from internal combustion models to plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles. Each car is built to custom specifications, leaving virtually no two vehicles alike. To manage this diversity, the AI system analyzes both vehicle data and real-time production parameters, generating a unique inspection plan for every car.

The system runs through a smartphone app that organizes inspection steps in the correct order and allows workers to log issues via voice input. A built-in transcription feature converts speech into coded entries, streamlining the process and enhancing usability for employees on the floor.

Developed in collaboration with Munich-based startup Datagon AI, GenAI4Q is part of BMW’s broader digitalization strategy under the iFACTORY initiative. The Regensburg facility — named “Factory of the Year 2024” — serves as a proving ground for such innovations. It will also be among the first to launch production of BMW’s next-generation NEUE KLASSE vehicles later this decade.

While the press release outlines the use of standardized coding in voice transcription and the manual activation of voice input through the app, it does not elaborate on broader data handling practices for recorded speech — an aspect that may invite further scrutiny as adoption scales.

As automakers like Tesla and Mercedes-Benz explore their own AI strategies, BMW’s approach stands out for its emphasis on personalized oversight rather than pure automation. If successful, it could help set a new industry benchmark for intelligent quality assurance.

Source: bmwgroup.com