Are Warehouse Robots Dead?

Will they be replaced with OTTO’s self-driving vehicle technology? Are warehouse robots (AGV’s) Dead? Will they be replaced with OTTO’s self-driving vehicle technology?

Recently, a new generation of AGVs—automatic guide vehicles—is scheduled to begin cruising through warehouse assembly lines, hauling parts and materials across facilities under inefficient automated control.

AGVs are load carriers that travel along a facility's floor without an onboard operator or driver. A combination of software and sensor-based guidance systems directs their movement. Because they move on a predictable path with precisely controlled acceleration and deceleration and include automatic obstacle detection bumpers, AGVs provide safe movement of loads. They are Computer-controlled and wheel-based.

Typical AGV applications include the transportation of raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods supporting manufacturing production lines, as well as storage/retrieval or other movements supporting picking in warehousing and distribution applications.

The AGV’s competition, OTTO, is the next-generation self-driving solution and is set to take over the AGV world; these vehicles integrate with warehousing software to further simplify inventory movement. The question is, will they be an improvement over the automatic guided vehicles?

Stay tuned for the pros and cons of each option.