The objective of this project is to develop an Autonomous Transport Vehicle (ATV) for next-generation smart factories, together with the human-machine interfaces, machine-to-machine communication, and networking platforms required to seamlessly integrate autonomous transport systems into the entire factory ecosystem.

Despite the growing adoption of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), existing solutions continue to face challenges in achieving optimal efficiency, flexibility, and seamless integration. As Industry 4.0 drives the evolution of smart factories, the need has emerged for autonomous transport vehicles capable of operating in complex, semi-structured industrial environments, both indoors and outdoors, while remaining fully integrated with factory-wide systems.

Although significant progress has been made in autonomous vehicle technologies—particularly in the automotive sector—industrial manufacturing environments present unique challenges that require specialized solutions. Achieving full autonomy within factory operations demands the integration of multiple subsystems, including perception, high-level control, low-level control, situational awareness, and autonomous decision-making.

To maximize overall factory performance, autonomous transport vehicles must operate as part of a unified digital ecosystem, seamlessly interacting with factory personnel, ERP/MRP systems, robotic equipment, and other industrial automation platforms. This project focuses on designing and implementing an end-to-end autonomous architecture that enables both vehicle-level autonomy and factory-wide operational autonomy, supporting the next generation of intelligent manufacturing.