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Alphabet Soup: FTF, AGV, AMR, MR ...: What 53 Experts Understand by These Terms
AGVs and AMRs could be most clearly distinguished from each other. The respondents associate AGVs primarily with predefined paths and central control. In contrast, AMRs stand for dynamic route planning, obstacle avoidance, extensive sensor technology, and decentralized decisions. FTFs and AGVs are largely perceived as synonyms by the experts. According to the study, MR is suitable as an overarching term but remains vague without further specifications.
Literature Analysis with 177 Publications
For the literature study, the researchers examined, according to their own statements, 1,110 publications from the years 2000 to 2025 after a cleanup. A total of 177 publications were included in the evaluation, including 26 with direct definitions of AGV, AMR, and MR.
According to the researchers, the analysis distinguishes, among other things, between the location of control, cooperability, and software capabilities. MR thus describes a broad category of mobile platforms without specifying a particular level of autonomy. AGVs are categorized as a specialization for material transport on physically or virtually predetermined paths or corridors. On the other hand, AMRs have sensors, computing power, and software for self-localization, dynamic navigation, and local decision-making.
Autonomy should not be solely determined by the vehicle
At the same time, the researchers point out that central or decentralized control alone does not indicate the degree of autonomy. Autonomous functions could emerge both within individual vehicles and at the system level. Therefore, for tenders, integration, and acceptance, it should be specifically described which decisions the mobile robot makes on its own and which tasks are taken over by a supervisory system.
Instead of introducing further acronyms, the authors recommend a description based on verifiable characteristics. These include, in particular, navigation, degree of autonomy, context of use, and system boundaries. A taxonomy currently being developed is intended to link applications, operational tasks, robot actions, capabilities, and hardware, thereby enabling a technically reliable classification of mobile robotics.
Translated automatically from German.
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