BMW Puts a Million Driverless Vehicle Moves Behind It While Buyback and Severance Plans Run Their Course
Published on 10/29/2026 at 16:20 | Editorial boerse-global.de
BMW's factory logistics have quietly crossed a threshold that has little to do with sheet metal and everything to do with software: one million vehicles have now been moved autonomously, without a driver at the wheel, under its "Automated Driving in the Plant" programme. The MINI plant in Oxford became the fourth site to adopt the technology, and Spartanburg is earmarked for the next expansion in 2027 — a site named but not yet equipped.
The automation milestone was one of several operational updates the Munich group pushed out this week, alongside a fresh tranche of share purchases and a battery line now humming in China.
Buyback keeps ticking over
BMW picked up another 106,701 ordinary shares last week as part of its 2025/2027 repurchase programme, the company confirmed on Monday. The purchases are routine capital-return mechanics rather than a signal about the share price, and they leave the share count adjusted accordingly.
On the personnel side, the voluntary severance scheme closed early for further applications roughly a week ago after the company said its target had been reached ahead of schedule. Handelsblatt reported that the programme is set to wrap up by mid-November. A template termination agreement, reported by the paper on 16 October, foresaw exits on 31 March 2027 or 31 October 2027, with a "turbo bonus" dangled for those willing to leave sooner.
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Shenyang cells and a Regensburg anniversary
Battery production added a third node to BMW's global network on 15 October, when series output of Gen6 high-voltage cells began in Shenyang. According to the company, the new round cells deliver more than 20% higher energy density along with up to 30% faster charging and greater range.
Regensburg, meanwhile, marked nine million vehicles built since production began, with cumulative investment at the site topping EUR 6 billion, BMW said on 19 October.
There was also a charging demonstration to file away: together with IONNA and Alpitronic, BMW showed the charging capability of the new BMW iX5 60 xDrive on 20 October, with peaks of up to 460 kW. The company was explicit that this was a technology showcase — the charging hardware involved is not currently available in the US.
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Deliveries paint a softer picture
The operational wins sit against a patchier demand backdrop. BMW delivered 551,072 vehicles worldwide in the third quarter of 2026, a decline of 6.3% from the same period a year earlier. For January through September, deliveries came to 1,707,799 units, down 4.9%. Europe and the US were identified as growth markets, while China remained the difficult spot.
Investors get their next look at the numbers on 4 November 2026, when BMW publishes its quarterly statement for the period ending 30 September 2026. An earnings call with presentations and a Q&A session is scheduled, with the analyst and investor question round set for 10:15 CET.
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