Industrial AGVs: Toward a pervasive diffusion in modern factory warehouses

This paper describes the technology behind the automation of modern factory warehouses with multiple Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). In particular, we focus on intermediate results of Plug-and-Navigate Robots (PAN-Robots) project describing how the latest developed technologies have dealt with main issues about traffic, safety and performance of an automated warehouse. A survey about the market impact produced by first outcomes is then drafted and a roadmap to a pervasive diffusion of AGVs is finally presented.