The “Insight” project, a collaboration between the BMW Group and the University of Zagreb’s Regional Centre of Excellence for Robotic Technology (CRTA), aims to innovate battery cell production through artificial intelligence. This initiative is designed to enhance the entire battery cell value chain, from manufacturing electrodes to testing and recycling processes.
At the BMW Group’s Battery Cell Competence Centre in Munich, researchers are focused on developing advanced battery cells for high-voltage applications. The integration of AI is expected to reduce testing duration and frequency by more than 50%, while maintaining or improving quality levels. Additionally, it may streamline the mandatory storage period, known as “quarantine,” for newly produced cells, potentially increasing efficiency.
Since its inception in 2024, the partnership has involved doctoral candidates and students from the University of Zagreb, who contribute by analyzing production data to build AI models that enhance performance. Christian Siedelhofer, head of Technology Development Lithium-Ion Battery Cells at BMW, noted that efforts are underway to scale these AI models beyond their prototype phase. The collaboration not only focuses on battery cell production but also explores their application across BMW’s broader production network.