Audi and Fraunhofer Trial AI and Robotics in Part Picking Process

Audi and Fraunhofer Institutes are testing AI and robotics for part picking at Bollinger Hofe to improve efficiency and reduce worker strain.

At Audi's production site in Neckarsulm, a bold experiment in digital transformation is underway. In collaboration with the Fraunhofer IAO and IPA institutes, the company is trialing advanced AI and robotics technologies to rethink a fundamental part of automotive manufacturing: the picking process — the logistics step that ensures the right parts arrive on time at the assembly line.

The testing ground is the Böllinger Höfe facility, home to the production of the highly customizable Audi e-tron GT. That level of customization turns picking into a complex operation. As Alexander Müller, Head of Logistics at Audi Sport, puts it, such conditions are ideal to evaluate how well digital tools can manage intricate logistics tasks.

The project is as much about supporting people as it is about efficiency. In a unique first step, Audi conducted a needs assessment using smart glasses equipped with infrared eye-tracking cameras. These glasses recorded gaze direction and pupil diameter to pinpoint which tasks place the most mental strain on workers — crucial data for tailoring technological solutions.

Based on these insights, the researchers are now evaluating how computer vision and mobile autonomous robots — equipped with various grippers and 3D sensors — can assist humans during real-world vehicle order picking. The aim is not to replace humans but to improve collaboration between people and machines.

This effort is part of the broader Automotive Initiative 2025 (AI25), a collaboration between Audi, Fraunhofer, TUM, Capgemini, SAP, AWS, and others. The real-world lab at Böllinger Höfe acts as a testbed, while other development work ties into the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) in Heilbronn, which is poised to become Europe’s largest AI hub.

Although no concrete performance results have been shared yet, it is known that Audi has begun applying similar AI-based quality control systems across other Volkswagen Group sites. If the trials in Neckarsulm prove successful, a wider rollout across the company’s production network could follow.