Automated vehicle technology expands in industrial and factory settings

Automated driving systems are seeing significant deployment within private industrial environments, ranging from European automotive plants to Brazilian ports and factories.

BMW Group has reached a milestone of 1 million automated vehicle movements using its Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) system. Operating in four European facilities, including Dingolfing, Leipzig, Regensburg, and Oxford, the system manages approximately 3,500 movements daily. Unlike consumer self-driving cars, the AFW relies on external LiDAR sensors installed along factory routes rather than onboard vehicle sensors, allowing it to operate across various car models with a 99.5% availability rate. The technology was developed in partnership with Swiss firm Embotech.

In Brazil, the startup Lume Robotics is deploying autonomous trucks and buses within private sectors such as steelworks, ports, and manufacturing plants. Their systems are currently utilized by companies including Suzano, ArcelorMittal, Portocel, Ypê, and Mercedes-Benz. The software uses artificial intelligence to navigate obstacles with reaction times of one-tenth of a second. Lume Robotics reports that automation can reduce operational costs by approximately 25% through fuel and maintenance savings. The company, which originated from research at the Federal University of Espírito Santo, is currently developing a cabless electric truck.