From autonomous forklifts to smart sorting robots, emerging technologies are taking hold throughout the warehouse as logistics services providers seek to boost productivity, improve safety, and respond to labor shortages.
Victoria Kickham, Senior Editor, started her career as a newspaper reporter in the Boston area before moving into B2B journalism. She has covered manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain issues for a variety of publications in the industrial and electronics sectors, and now writes about warehousing, transportation, and logistics trends for DC VELOCITY. Victoria earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree in English from Northeastern University.
As logistics services providers struggle with accelerating consumer demand, sluggish supply lines, and labor challenges, many are moving beyond the exploratory phase of automating their warehouses and are putting systems to work. A Gartner survey of more than 500 supply chain professionals bears this out: 96% of respondents polled for its 2020 Gartner Supply Chain Technology User Wants and Needs survey said they had used or plan to use cyber-physical automation in their warehousing and manufacturing operations. These are highly automated, intelligent systems that integrate physical and software components—robotic systems are a good example. Looking ahead, the report suggests nearly every warehouse will be using a robot in some way within the next decade.
Many are already well on their way to achieving that goal. Here’s a look at how a handful of companies are using cyber-physical automation to address efficiency and labor challenges.
AUTONOMOUS FORKLIFTS IN ACTION
Contract logistics specialist DHL Supply Chain is one example of a company moving full-steam ahead to implement cyber-physical solutions. The company started to explore autonomous forklifts for its warehouses about four years ago and is now using them at locations across the U.S. The effort is part of a plan to implement a range of automated warehouse technologies, including various autonomous vehicle solutions, and serves as an example of how the company is putting some of the latest tech to work. Its autonomous high-reach fork trucks are doing 100% of pallet putaway and picking at some locations, controlled by each facility’s warehouse management system (WMS).
“[These are] fully autonomous solutions integrated with our WMS,” explains Brian Gaunt, a senior director who is responsible for innovation and robotics for DHL Supply Chain in North America. The system automates the challenging task of manually running a high-reach fork truck—which requires considerable training to operate safely and effectively. The system is helping to improve productivity while also addressing labor and safety issues, he says.
“In a challenging labor market, you can’t just hire anyone and have them do this task,” Gaunt adds. “We like to think that these systems are also making it safer in that they are taking these more challenging movements and doing them [without human intervention].”
The autonomous forklift project began as a larger testing program designed to address pallet movement in the warehouse. Looking to improve upon that process, company leaders began by investigating a range of solutions and vendors—including, but not limited to, autonomous equipment; determined where they might find the greatest value; tested some solutions; and then rolled out what worked best, where it made the most sense. The autonomous high-reach fork trucks turned out to be a prime solution for a number of locations.
“We really look at our warehouses as a series of use cases that we string together,” Gaunt says, explaining that managers may start with 20 possible use cases for pallet movement, but only end up testing and implementing a portion of them. “That’s the progression. It’s very much an iterative process.”
The autonomous forklift project will soon be rolled out on a larger scale.
“It takes a while to get familiar with [the system]. Now, we’re at a point where we’re comfortable with the handful we have, so we’re in the scaling mode, which is exactly where we want to be,” Gaunt says, adding that DHL plans to implement the forklifts at more locations nationwide.
SMART SORTING ROBOTS
Parcel carrier FedEx Ground is advancing with cyber-physical automation as well, with recent examples in New York, Ohio, and Nevada. Partnering with robotics firm Berkshire Grey, the company has implemented a robotic sortation solution for autonomous package processing—a move that’s in direct response to accelerated e-commerce activity.
The company is using Berkshire Grey’s Robotic Product Sortation and Identification (RPSi) system at a Queens, New York, facility to robotically sort the thousands of small packages that arrive daily in bulk into containers bound for other facilities across the FedEx Ground network. The artificial intelligence (AI)-based system autonomously picks, identifies, sorts, collects, and “containerizes” individual poly bags, tubes, padded mailers, and other small packages that have traditionally been sorted manually. The system requires fewer package handlers to operate, allowing FedEx to reallocate workers to other tasks in the facility. Other benefits include enhanced productivity, efficiency, and safety, as well as greater flexibility to adjust to changing package volumes and sizes, according to Ted Dengel, managing director of operations technology and innovation at FedEx Ground.
The system also addresses the tricky challenge of scanning labels. In traditional package sortation, workers have to position parcels so the label can be scanned properly. Berkshire Grey’s system uses technology that allows bar codes to be read from any angle in milliseconds, without manual intervention, according to Jessica Moran, the company’s senior vice president, parcels and 3PL businesses.
FedEx Ground’s success in Queens has prompted other implementations; the company was testing similar systems at sortation facilities in Columbus, Ohio, and Las Vegas this past fall.
SPEEDY ROBOTIC ASSISTANTS
Accelerating e-commerce was the driver for a similar sortation solution at Greek logistics and transportation services provider Athinaiki, S.A. Working with global autonomous mobile robot (AMR) developer Geek+ Robotics and systems integrator FDL, the company has deployed smart sorting robots in one of its e-commerce fulfillment warehouses, with the ultimate goal of speeding last-mile delivery to customers throughout Greece and Cyprus.
Set in a roughly 6,000-square-foot warehouse, 29 sorting robots help warehouse employees sort 1,400 to 1,500 parcels per hour. Employees put ordered goods onto sorting robots that automatically transfer the parcels to one of 104 sorting cages bound for different destinations. The AMRs travel freely through the warehouse, with no wires or fixed infrastructure, making it easy for Athinaiki to scale up or down to meet throughput demand by adjusting the number of robots and sorting destinations. The robots are controlled by a robot management system (RMS) and powered by algorithms, creating a solution that monitors robot traffic and balances each robot’s tasks to achieve maximum sorting efficiency and accuracy, according to Geek+ Robotics.
THE ROAD AHEAD
It won’t be long before some of the systems in place now will begin “thinking” for themselves. Among Gartner’s picks for top strategic technologies for 2022 are “autonomic” computing systems: self-managing physical or software systems that learn from their environments. As the company described it in a report this past October: “Unlike automated or even autonomous systems, autonomic systems can dynamically modify their own algorithms without an external software update, enabling them to rapidly adapt to new conditions in the field, much like humans can.”
The technology is already being used in complex security systems, Gartner says, and in the longer term will find its way into physical systems such as robots, drones, manufacturing machines, and smart spaces.
Warehouses face a tough outlook. By 2034, e-commerce is projected to increase by $53 trillion. To serve that growth, more than 300 million square feet of warehouse space is under construction. All that additional space requires more staff. But the challenge of finding and retaining workers grows more intense as warehouses stare down a global workforce shortage.
The consequence? Many warehouses rely heavily on inexperienced operators, exacerbating safety and productivity threats. In addition to a strong foundation of OSHA-compliant training, warehouses need to look at the ways technology can help them cope.
There’s a broad continuum, spanning from reactive to proactive approaches and encompassing passive, hybrid, and active solutions. Understanding the differences among them is key to assessing which tools best fit an operation’s challenges. With passive solutions, such as work lights, alarms, and mirrors, there is no input that the solution responds to, and the solutions are designed to enhance situational awareness without changing the lift truck’s performance. Active solutions, on the other hand, respond to certain conditions or events and automatically act on the incoming information — alerting the operator to change their behavior, altering the truck’s performance, or both. Hybrid solutions represent a middle ground, with some functions that require personnel to act on the information and others that do not.
Passive operator assist
Depending on the facility’s layout, lighting, and other factors, certain forklift lighting options can help reduce risk. Blue LED spotlights, strobe lights, and red zone lights optimize pedestrian visibility of approaching lift trucks. Similarly, backup and motion alarms can help provide audible warning that a lift truck is in close or immediate proximity.
Hybrid operator assist
Telemetry systems like Yale Vision™ provide a range of functions, some that require personnel to take action, and others that are active. For example, with location data, managers can identify lift truck congestion and areas that are prone to impacts and use that to influence facility layout and traffic patterns to remediate problem areas. From an active perspective, telemetry allows operations to digitize and confirm completion of OSHA pre-shift checklists and disable truck use until completed, and even restrict equipment access via keycards to only those operators with proper, current training certification.
A pedestrian awareness camera is another hybrid solution designed to boost operator awareness and help support overall warehouse safety. A new addition to the Yale Reliant™ portfolio, the pedestrian awareness camera, can identify pedestrians at ranges up to 16 feet through a 110-degree field of view and provides automatic alerts to the operator when a pedestrian is detected. Operations can choose for the system to provide audible and visual alerts only, or also opt for traction alerts that automatically and gradually slow down the lift truck.
Active operator assist
There are a variety of solutions to support reactive measures, but today technology also enables a proactive approach to complement those reactive layers of safety support. Yale Reliant active assist solutions help reinforce operating best practices by automatically adjusting lift truck performance based on real-time information from the truck and the environment.
Operations can also put automated lift trucks to work, reducing dependence on scarce, accident-prone labor and the risk of damage to equipment, inventory, and warehouse infrastructure. Yale Relay™ automated lift trucks are designed with almost a decade of customer insights in mind, to rethink how the work gets done in a more strategic, lasting manner.
In a busy warehouse, every second counts—and so does every step. With nearly 900,000 forklifts operating across the U.S., safety isn’t just a box to check. It’s a daily commitment. And with nearly 80% of forklift accidents involving pedestrians, that commitment has never been more important.
That’s why, in honor of National Forklift Safety Day, we’re spotlighting a solution designed to help keep people secure:
Linde Guardian.
Warehouses and distribution centers are busy places—machines humming, people moving, tight turns, and more than a few blind spots. In the middle of it all, operators have to make quick decisions while staying aware of everything (and everyone) around them.
That’s where Linde Guardian makes a difference.
It’s a smart safety system designed to work as fast as your team. For instance, it responds in real time when it senses a potential hazard, like a pedestrian around the corner or another truck in a tight spot. We’re talking instant alerts and even automatic slowdowns to help prevent collisions before they happen. And since it works independently of internet access or network strength, it's always on and always dependable—no matter where it's deployed.
What’s especially impressive? Unlike other solutions, it doesn’t rely on cloud access or high-bandwidth networks, ensuring dependable performance in any environment. That means it’s always ready when you need it, no matter what the environment throws your way.
What sets Linde Guardian apart?
Smart hazard detection: It sees what operators can’t—around corners, through walls, and in high-traffic areas—using advanced sensors to reduce speed and send alerts when it matters most.
Fine-tuned accuracy: Warning zones can be configured with 10-centimeter precision, so alerts are specific and reliable, not one-size-fits-all.
Fleet flexibility: Whether you’re working with one brand of vehicle or several, Linde Guardian plays well with others.
Versatile in any space: The system adjusts to the environment indoors or out, offering reliable performance where vision-based tools might fall short.
Control where it counts: Zone Markers help you confidently manage high-risk areas like intersections and pedestrian walkways.
It’s good to know your safety solution keeps pace in a place where things never slow down. Linde Guardian brings awareness into motion—reacting in milliseconds, thinking ahead, and watching where we can’t. On National Forklift Safety Day, we’re reminded that safety moves us all forward. Let’s keep it moving.
Forklift safety is a top consideration across industries, but when it comes to supporting lift truck operating best practices, there’s no single silver bullet. Forklift safety requires a multi-faceted approach, including training, real-time support and monitoring, and retroactive evaluation. Managers should consider a layered approach that starts with training, incorporates various forms of support for their team, and leverages tracking solutions to inform ongoing coaching.
Layer 1: The operator
Operator training is foundational to forklift safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires lift truck operators to receive formal instruction, hands-on training, and evaluation before the use of equipment at their job site. A training format in which the trainer utilizes packaged digital material can offer consistent instruction and engage trainees with contemporary adult learning methodologies. Tech-enabled solutions can be especially valuable for facilities that frequently onboard new operators, and automation can also be helpful for operations that are limited by a short supply of labor. Automated lift trucks, for example, are set up to adhere to certain safety standards and site-specific protocols. They perform consistently in repetitive applications that are prone to high employee turnover, helping provide relief from the constant cycle of hiring and training. It’s not about replacing what employees do, it’s about amplifying what they can safely get done by making their work easier and the operation more efficient.
Layer 2: The truck
From ergonomic features that help limit risk of repetitive stress injuries, to a broad category known as operator assist solutions (OAS), there are many ways equipment can help support operators in their unique applications. For example, alarms and pedestrian awareness lighting like strobe or curtain lights present reminders for those walking or working in proximity to trucks in operation, and integrated stability control systems can offer a proactive approach to help minimize risks and reinforce safe operating practices. Another OAS, a new addition to the Hyster Reaction™ lineup, is the pedestrian awareness camera. This camera system can accurately identify pedestrians at ranges up to 16 feet through a 110-degree field of view. When a pedestrian is detected, a voiceover communicates their proximity, and a light indicates which zone the pedestrian is in. Optional traction alerts can go a step further by automatically and gradually slowing down the lift truck. While the operator remains in ultimate control of the equipment, this deceleration effect is intended to get their attention and encourage them to avoid the detected pedestrian by applying the brakes, steering away, or both.
Layer 3: Tracking and continuous support
Telemetry systems like Hyster Tracker™ monitor several aspects of a fleet, from equipment use and diagnostics to individual operator performance, to help operations make informed decisions and manage operator behavior. Telemetry can be tailored to operator development by:
Restricting equipment so that only operators with proper truck certification have access
Controlling who can start equipment through individual access cards
Providing automatic notifications when operator certifications are close to expiring
Some systems even have functionality to provide managers with information when impacts occur, including the option to view video footage of impacts. The base level of the Hyster Tracker telemetry solution, known as wireless monitoring, is now included as a standard feature on a broad selection of lift trucks, with the goal of equipping even more operations with insights that can help them improve site safety and reduce avoidable damage.
HAWKER® motive power solutions are the moving force behind diverse applications around the world. Our battery and charger products are designed for optimum power, long work cycles, and safe operations. HAWKER® is proud to support the 12th annual National Forklift Safety Day, sponsored by the Industrial Truck Association, on June 10, 2025.
HAWKER® PRODUCTS OFFER MANY INHERENT SAFETY-RELATED BENEFITS:
Advanced battery chemistries do not require watering and acid exposure
Lithium and TPPL deliver higher sustained voltages and reduce plug-in frequency
Advanced chemistries circumvent battery changes and enhance additional productivity
Full-shift power in demanding environments
Long life cycle operations
A wide range of opportunity and fast-charge products to avoid battery changes
Opportunity charging allows for quick charges during break times
Fewer battery change-outs needed
For more information on HAWKER battery and charger solutions, contact your area HAWKER Representative. Find a representative online or contact us directly by dialing 1-877-7HAWKER (U.S. and Canada only).
Crown Equipment’s ProximityAssist System is a LiDAR-based operator assist technology designed to detect objects in the path of a moving forklift and slow the travel of the lift truck.
Crown’s design, engineering, and onboarding process distinguishes its ProximityAssist System from other operator assist systems to increase user acceptance and build operator confidence.
The ProximityAssist System is engineered and configured specifically for the forklift model on which it is installed. Each configuration is designed to detect objects such as racking, pallet loads, boxes, and other objects within the forklift’s expected path of travel.
Many detection and alert systems are bolt-on technologies that do not offer a level of integration available from the forklift OEM. Some alert systems may include unprotected sensors, positioning them where they may be subject to damage. Sensors used in bolt-on systems may also be mounted at a height that can limit their effectiveness. LiDAR-based systems that are mounted too high may fail to detect objects close to the floor, while those that are mounted too low may detect items that are not actually obstructions.
The following are benefits Crown’s ProximityAssist System brings to forklift operations:
The ProximityAssist System responds when an object is detected, automatically slowing the lift truck to further enable the operator to take corrective action. Operators must maintain full control of the forklift at all times.
Integration with the forklift enables inputs from the forklift’s steering system to adjust the sensor’s field of view to focus on objects in the expected path of the forklift.
The detection zone is also adjusted by the travel speed of the lift truck, increasing in length at higher speeds and decreasing at lower speeds. This may encourage operators to slow down to minimize the number of appropriate ProximityAssist System responses.
Visual and audible alerts are provided through the 7” Touch Display that is available with Crown’s InfoLink® operator and fleet management system or via the touchscreen utilized with Gena, Crown’s newest lift truck operating system. These additional alerts coincide with automatic slowdowns to help the operator become aware of the object in the path of the lift truck and to take the necessary action.
ProximityAssist System’s sensors are mounted in rugged steel housings to protect them from damage. They are located low to the ground and are designed for detection when traveling in the power unit direction. Placement is designed to detect objects such as racking, pallet loads, boxes, and other obstructions at near-floor level.
The ProximityAssist System is designed to reinforce operator training and increase awareness but does not stop the lift truck. It does not eliminate the responsibility of operators and pedestrians to be aware of each other and maintain a safe working environment. Operators must be fully trained and capable of operating the forklift in a safe manner with or without the technology. These systems can be valuable tools, but they are no substitute for well-trained and attentive operators.
Learn more about the ProximityAssist System at crown.com.