‘The capabilities of AGVs are rapidly catching up to those of AMRs’

The differences are getting smaller and smaller

AMR or AGV? While AMRs are often known for their flexibility, modern AGVs have advanced significantly in recent years. Bastiaan Krijger, owner of KV-Techniek and GO AGV: “Thanks to Natural Feature Navigation and an obstacle-avoidance software feature, the differences in practice are smaller than many people think.”

At Logistica Next 2026, the company aims to demonstrate to visitors the benefits of automation using robots and AGVs. AGVs ensure continuity by operating day and night and create structure by following fixed patterns. The supplier will also be presenting a new type of AGV at the trade show that is suitable for use in cold storage facilities and freezer rooms.

According to Krijger, the idea that AMRs can take alternative routes is not an advantage in practice. AGVs are now also capable of navigating around obstacles. Krijger: “The major advantage of an AGV over an AMR is that an AGV can safely pass an obstacle and then return to its predetermined route. This keeps the logistics flow predictable; you continue to benefit from the advantages of fixed routes. Those fixed routes make it possible to optimally balance capacity, speed, and efficiency. Especially in production environments, this often yields better results than a vehicle that independently calculates a completely new route every time.”

Benefits of AGV

In many cases, choosing an AGV offers advantages over an AMR. Krijger: “In a production or warehouse environment, you want to achieve maximum efficiency. That’s why companies use autonomous guided vehicles to move goods from point A to point B as quickly as possible. In that case, the route is a predefined path that must be kept clear. This provides stability and predictability, allowing you to achieve higher speeds. It also increases production or logistics capacity.”

Overcoming Obstacles

Thanks to a new development in navigation, GO AGV can have AGVs navigate around obstacles and then return the vehicles to their originally programmed route. Krijger: “This essentially eliminates the advantage of an AMR. Taking alternative routes reduces the predictability of automated vehicles. Operators of internal transport vehicles may overlook AMRs more easily and cause collisions.”

Users can customize routes themselves

Although deploying an AGV may seem complex, it doesn’t have to be, according to the owner. “Our software is very accessible, intuitive, and user-friendly. A business owner who chooses an automated vehicle can change routes in the control system with a simple drag of the mouse. We can well imagine that companies don’t always want to be dependent on the supplier for this. Just like AMRs, our AGVs operate using Natural Feature Navigation, with a LiDAR scanner. This makes it easy to change routes without any structural modifications.”

The use of AGVs should be easy to implement, as should the control software, says Krijger. “Whereas the logistics department used to be responsible for the forklifts, it is now the operators who take on this task. In addition, the AGVs are very user-friendly—they can be operated via an HMI, and tasks for the vehicles are automatically generated by upper-level systems.”

The choice between an AGV and an AMR ultimately depends on the application. Krijger: “In many production and warehouse environments, modern AGVs have proven to be a highly efficient solution thanks to smart software, Natural Feature Navigation, and predictable logistics processes. However, the most important factor is—and always will be—that the automation aligns with the organization of the workplace.”