What once required a team of engineers physically pushing car chassis through factory assembly lines is now handled entirely in simulation. At BMW, digital twins—virtual replicas of entire factories—allow engineers to test and refine production processes long before a single piece of machinery is installed. This shift is part of a larger transformation happening in manufacturing, driven by what’s now being called the industrial metaverse.
While consumer visions of the metaverse have faltered, the industrial application of these technologies is thriving. The industrial metaverse—an ecosystem of interconnected simulations, sensors, 3D models, and augmented reality—offers manufacturers the ability to virtually plan, test, and optimize physical processes in a digital environment. According to the World Economic Forum, the industrial metaverse is expected to reach a global market value of $100 billion by 2030.
At its core, the industrial metaverse is about “spatial computing”—bridging the gap between digital and physical spaces. Companies like BMW, Amazon, Lowe’s, and Zaha Hadid Architects are already embracing this convergence. From virtual warehouses and retail spaces to collaborative building design, digital twins are becoming essential tools in modern industry.
One of the most significant platforms enabling this transformation is Nvidia’s Omniverse, a suite of tools that supports simulation, automation, and digital twin development. Initially known for gaming and graphics, Nvidia now plays a central role in powering simulations critical to industrial AI and robotics. Omniverse allows manufacturers to create complex, interactive virtual environments that mirror real-world conditions with remarkable accuracy.
BMW uses Omniverse to build and operate digital twins of all its factories, including a newly constructed plant in Debrecen, Hungary. Before a single wall was erected, the entire facility was modeled, tested, and refined in a virtual environment. Using the Pixar-developed Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD) format, BMW created detailed 3D representations of cars, machines, and even workers, allowing engineers to simulate the entire production process—from component placement to final assembly.
This approach reduces costly errors and design conflicts, which traditionally emerged late in the factory setup. Previously, critical information was scattered across departments: production teams knew assembly steps, suppliers held part specs, architects managed floorplans. These silos made it difficult to coordinate and costly to fix mistakes. Now, centralized data in the digital twin brings all stakeholders together in one unified model.
Beyond error prevention, the system enables process optimization. Engineers can test if a machine fits in its designated space, simulate worker paths to reduce walking distances, or reposition tools for greater efficiency. Mapping real-world factories still involves physically scanning the space—usually with laser-equipped workers—but once captured, the data is used to refine operations both virtually and in reality.
AI is starting to play a larger role as well. Because digital factories are so large and detailed, finding specific components or areas can be a challenge. BMW is integrating generative AI to help users navigate these models, and eventually, AI will also be used to recommend production line improvements based on insights from multiple facilities.
Omniverse also supports autonomous systems and robotics, providing a training ground for robots in virtual environments. This allows manufacturers to test movements, optimize workflows, and generate synthetic data to train AI—similar to how autonomous vehicle systems are taught using simulated environments. As Nvidia’s Rev Lebaredian notes, the real-world experience of future robots will increasingly come from simulations, not physical trial-and-error.
Experts like Deloitte’s Varvn Aryacetas believe the industrial metaverse’s biggest impact will be on “embodied AI”—physical robots that can think, move, and work more intelligently in the real world. Though robots are not yet ubiquitous on factory floors, advances in spatial computing and simulation are preparing them to operate more independently and safely.
In this vision of the future, the metaverse isn’t a digital hangout for avatars. Instead, it’s a foundational tool for real-world innovation—one where factories are perfected before they’re built, robots are trained before they touch a machine, and every mistake avoided is a step toward faster, safer, and smarter manufacturing.
By Impact Lab
