Global demand for autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, is again on the rise, propelled by labor costs and shortages, as well as the need for greater operational flexibility and speed. At the same time, the technology continues to evolve, as AMRs become smarter and more nimble.
The global market for autonomous mobile robots will grow from nearly $5 billion in 2024 to $14 billion in 2030,
predicted
Interact Analysis. While the market slowed immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, it shows signs of a strong recovery.
Similarly, ABI Research has
forecast
that the mobile robot market could expand from $33 billion in 2026 to $68.9 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.2%. It said that AMRs account for half of that total.
Automated and semi-automated forklifts can be easily integrated into existing warehouse and factory workflows, say suppliers. For those more willing to invest in infrastructure, the shuttles in automated storage and retrieval systems (
ASRS
) offer dense space utilization and scalability.
From autonomous mobile robots to AI
This free download from
The Robot Report
and Arrowfly sibling
Design World
examines advances in AMRs. Much of the recent capability improvements are thank to computer vision, sensor fusion, and machine learning. Not only do they enable efficient navigation, but they also allow for precise picking, safer collaboration, and improved visibility.
In addition, fleet management and artificial intelligence are making fleets of
these systems
easier to scale and integrate with existing enterprise systems and software. Interoperability challenges remain, but orchestration software vendors and standards developers have risen to the challenge.
From
autonomous lift trucks
from Hyster-Yale to ASRS from Attabotics, the latest generation of mobile robots is also moving into
manufacturing
,
pharmaceuticals
, and other sectors.
Editor’s note:
Learn more about physical AI at
RoboBusiness
, which will be on Oct. 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, Calif. Registration is now open.
Register now and save on your pass to RoboBusiness 2026
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