An AMR (autonomous mobile robot) and an AGV (automated guided vehicle) move loads without a driver: totes, pallets, carts, parts between a store and a production line. The AGV follows a path set in advance; the AMR finds its own way around its environment and chooses its route.
AGV and AMR: what is the difference?
- The AGV navigates using fixed elements placed in the building: magnetic tape, magnets, beacons or reflectors. It follows a predefined path, cannot change route and stops in front of an obstacle until it is removed. It suits repetitive, stable flows.
- The AMR navigates freely using lasers and cameras. The site is mapped first, often by driving the robot by hand, then it calculates its routes and goes around obstacles. It adapts more easily when the layout changes.
AGVs increasingly include such capabilities, and the line between the two families is narrowing. An AMR can also carry a robotic arm to pick and place parts.
What mobile robots are used for
- Line feeding: bringing components from the store to the workstation and leaving with finished products.
- Order picking: the robot accompanies the operator or brings items to them, which cuts walking.
- Pallet transport between areas, replacing a forklift for repetitive trips.
- Automated storage: robots move through racking to fetch totes.
Safety and regulation
- The ISO 3691-4:2023 standard sets safety requirements for driverless industrial trucks and their systems: control, guidance, energy, and how to verify them. Published in June 2023, it replaces the 2020 edition.
- EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230, adopted on 14/06/2023, applies on a mandatory basis from 20/01/2027 and replaces Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. Directly applicable, it covers mobile robots placed on the market from that date.
A mobile robot project therefore involves a risk assessment of the site: traffic shared with pedestrians and forklifts, speeds, crossing areas, signage.
The market
According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), 117,500 professional service robots for transport and logistics were sold worldwide in 2025, up 21%. This is the leading application for professional service robots, with 47% of the total; the figure does not cover AMRs and AGVs only.
What manufacturers said at Tech for Industry Show
At Tech for Industry Show 2026, at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles:
- Exotec, which designs and builds its robots in Wasquehal, said it has around 14,000 robots in operation. Decathlon replenishes all its European stores with its systems, and Renault uses them to distribute spare parts in France. Read the article
- Safran is deploying AGVs to move parts between workstations: in its discontinuous-flow workshops, a part waits 95% of the time. Read the article
- NVIDIA, Exotec, Michelin and Dassault Systèmes debated physical AI: for industry, it is legless robots (AGVs, AMRs, picking robots) with perception that are being deployed first, and simulation makes it possible to train them without running vehicles day and night. Read the article
The round table is available as a replay: From the connected factory to the automated warehouse.
Other examples in France
- Daher tested a rented AMR based on a stacker from November 2024 to February 2025, on five missions in Cornebarrieu, then deployed it in Toulouse and in northern France (Voxlog, 26/08/2025).
- FPT Industrial uses six AMRs in Bourbon-Lancy for around 450 missions a day in its engine plant (Logistics Business, 01/04/2021).
- Boulanger, in Hénin-Beaumont, raised picking from 120 to more than 250 units per hour in six weeks with Locus robots, according to the customer and the supplier (Robotics & Automation News, 18/04/2025).
How much does a mobile robot cost?
Most manufacturers quote prices on request: they depend on payload, fleet size, fleet management software and site integration. Rental with maintenance included is growing. One published example: in January 2025 igus announced its ReBeL Move mobile robot at 38,789 euros, and 45,627 euros with its collaborative arm (manufacturer press release). This is not the price of a pallet-handling robot.
How to run a mobile robot project
1. Measure flows: routes, distances, frequencies, loads, and the time operators spend walking or driving.
2. Choose AGV or AMR according to how stable the routes and layout are.
3. Prepare the site: floors, aisle widths, doors, lifts, wireless network.
4. Assess risks with shared traffic rules, in view of ISO 3691-4 and the Machinery Regulation.
5. Connect the robots to the WMS or MES that gives them their missions. Our WMS guide covers this part.
6. Start with a proof of concept on a few missions, with the operators, then extend the fleet.
2027 exhibitors equipping material handling
To meet at Tech for Industry Show 2027:
- Timcod: supply chain solution integrator, including autonomous mobile robots to reduce travel in warehouses.
Frequently asked questions
What does AMR stand for?
Autonomous mobile robot: a robot that moves on its own by finding its way around its environment.
What is the difference between an AGV and an AMR?
The AGV follows a path set by markers on the floor or walls and stops in front of an obstacle; the AMR calculates its route and goes around obstacles.
Which safety standard applies to mobile robots?
ISO 3691-4:2023 for driverless industrial trucks, and EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 from 20/01/2027.
Does a mobile robot replace a forklift driver?
It takes over repetitive trips; operators keep the tasks that require judgement.
How long does it take to commission an AMR?
Depending on the site and the number of missions, from a few days to a few weeks for a first scope.
