Mar 07, 2023

Before deciding if the AGV or AMR is a better fit for your business, it is important to understand the characteristics of each product and how it could benefit your company. The AGV and AMR Market is expected to reach more than $18 billion by 2027, with a growth rate of 24% for AGVs and 43% for AMRs. 

An AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) is an industrial vehicle that carries goods to various places in a warehouse or manufacturing facility. Pre-programmed software guides these products on fixed routes. Unlike AGVs, an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) can read the environment and plan its own route. Obstacles make AGVs come to a halt, but AMRs use an internal map to navigate routes, and obstacles do not stop their motion.

Companies that have more traditional business models and simpler workflows may lean towards using an AGV. On the contrary, the AMR may be the wiser choice if your company is an agile business with dynamic changes and more complex environments. Exploring the significant differences between the two devices will make your decision easier:

• Fixed Routes Vs. Intelligent Navigation–The AGV has limited onboard intelligence and can follow simple programming instructions. It depends on infrastructure such as wires, beacons, RFID technology, magnetic tapes, or laser guidance to move around the site. The AMR has an internal map and uses data from built-in sensors to choose the most efficient route to a target location.
• Flexibility–The AGVs are limited to following a strict path generally installed beneath a facility's floor. It is a complex and expensive undertaking to add new destinations for an AGV device. On the contrary, an AMR can become familiar with new routes rapidly, and additional AMR robots can become part of a fleet in less than a day. 
• Cost Difference–As you might imagine, the technology used is less advanced, and therefore, the AGV is the less expensive option. Although it may come with a higher price tag, an AMR is still a cost-effective option with no infrastructure cost and its fast and easy deployment. 
• Dependability–AGV devices are more reliable since they follow a strict road map. AMR devices have more room to deviate from expected movement.
• Data and Intelligence–AGVs do not collect or learn from previous data, while AMRs can advance the fleet’s optimization because machine learning is able to collect relevant data.
• Safety–The AGV is predictable and does not proceed when met with obstacles, so they are considered safer. On the contrary, since the AMR navigates around obstacles, it could accidentally cause a disruption in another part of the environment. 

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