Robotics & Automation · Recorded milestone

Automated guided vehicle

Recorded year1953

Barrett Electronics' Guide-O-Matic tow tractor follows a wire in the floor, the first driverless vehicle moving goods around factories and warehouses.

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Built on

Moving assembly lineRecorded · 1913enables

Led to

Warehouse robotsRecorded · 2006enables
Lights-out portsRecorded · 2017requires

Sources & evidence

Additional source

Dataset updated 2026-10-18. This individual record has not been separately re-reviewed.