Seegrid Corporation has introduced a self-driving pallet truck. The GP8 Series 6 utilizes Seegrid's Smart Platform, which combines flexible, infrastructure-free, vision-guided vehicles with fleet management, says the company.

"The GP8 Series 6 closes the automation loop by providing an end-to-end solution, removing the need for human assistance to complete tasks," Jeff Christensen, vice president of product with Pittsburgh-based Seegrid, said in a statement. "In manufacturing and e-commerce environments, every human touch is costly and unpredictable. As we help our customers develop smart factories of the future, safety, efficiency, and operating costs will continue to be the driving forces behind the adoption of automation. Loading and unloading pallets independently creates safer working conditions, allows for more consistent throughput, and produces a rapid return on investment for our customers."

According to the company, Seegrid self-driving vehicles are used in the automotive industry for consistent delivery of parts to line. The Series 6 self-driving pallet truck picks up and drops off palletized car parts without human interaction, increasing productivity amidst labor shortages for automakers. In e-commerce, the Series 6 enables fully autonomous delivery of goods to keep up with fulfillment growth and demand.

Operating without wires, lasers, magnets, or tape, the Seegrid GP8 Series 6 allows manufacturers and distributors to change routes in-house, operate in manual mode, and scale their fleet as they grow, the company claims. As part of the Seegrid Smart Platform, the Series 6 is aligned with Industry 4.0 and lean initiatives, helping companies transform into smart factories of the future.