AGV (automated guided vehicle)
A driverless vehicle that moves material under automatic control, classically along a predefined path.
The network analogy
A mobile client on a fixed route: it passes through the same coverage cells in the same order on every trip.
Why it matters for wireless
Missed or delayed safety packets can activate an AGV's safety function and stop it, so the roams along its route have to fit inside its connection timeouts.
ODVA’s wireless safety paper lists AGVs among wireless use cases, with the example of an AGV following an embedded path in the floor whose length may need multiple radio base stations. PI names wireless safety-related transmission for driverless transport systems and AGVs as a PROFIsafe application, and VDA 5050 defines the interface between such vehicles and a fleet control system.
Usage varies. VDA 5050 now says mobile robot for every driverless transport vehicle, while ODVA separates fixed-path AGVs from freely navigating AMRs. Ask which one a vendor means.
About this page
Built from 3 sources: 3 protocol owners and alliances. Researched and drafted with AI assistance, then reviewed and approved by Ben Rutter on . How pages are made
- First published
- Last updated
Cite this page
Plain
Ben Rutter. "AGV (automated guided vehicle)." OT Wireless, published October 5, 2026. https://otwireless.com/glossary/agv/
APA 7
Rutter, B. (2026, October 5). AGV (automated guided vehicle). OT Wireless. https://otwireless.com/glossary/agv/
BibTeX
@misc{rutter2026agv,
author = {Rutter, Ben},
title = {{AGV (automated guided vehicle)}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://otwireless.com/glossary/agv/}},
organization = {OT Wireless},
}