Leading Guided Vehicle Manufacturers

Typically powered by industrial strength batteries or by electricity, guided vehicles can range greatly in size and capability depending on their intended application. For lighter manufacturing processes such as light load transportation, electronic fabrication or small parts assembly and delivery, light load AGVs are ideal. Larger AGVs such as pallet loading trucks or automatic guided carts can be used for heavy load movement. Other processes may require guided vehicles such as material handling robots which have more complex capabilities than a simple towing car. Despite the potentially high initial investment of installing an AGV system into a manufacturing plant, guided vehicles provide many benefits to a manufacturer. They reduce labor costs by increasing the efficiency and accuracy of operational procedures.

Machines can work faster and longer than laborers can, and if programmed correctly are less likely to make errors. Furthermore, in terms of transportation and movement, automatic guided vehicles provide safer worker environments by reducing manual intervention in the process.

Vehicles can be equipped with an infrared detection system, or a bumper system, which helps to reduce the damage potential of collisions. Free range AVG systems which are controlled by computer software and international navigation capabilities are able to adjust a vehicle's route according to flow of traffic and possible obstructions, therefore making the factory floor a safer place to work.

Guided vehicles are able to fit into small spaces, and work alongside employees in many applications. These electric battery powered vehicles are useful in indoor applications where no sudden or essential decisions are made that cannot be done by automated machinery and so will often still require the assistance of a traffic operator. However, these carts eliminate the risk of bumping, crashes and collisions and therefore have become popular alternatives to manually operated cart transports, conveyors and forklift trucks.