Otto Motors, a division of Clearpath Robotics Inc., and provider of self-driving vehicle technology and services, announced three advancements to the Otto platform and customer experience at ProMat 2017 in Chicago.
The first is a redesign of the Otto 100 self-driving vehicle to meet the rigors of industrial environments, while continuing to maintain the flexibility to work in a lab, at manufacturing plants, and everywhere in between. The vehicle features rugged, all-metal construction and an integrated lift for automated loading and unloading. According to the company, the vehicle is designed for durability in a variety of environments and has become a flagship product for industries spanning healthcare, automotive and small-cell manufacturing. Otto 100 meets the demands of customers that could not otherwise be satisfied with other products on the market.
The second major announcement at ProMat was the release of Otto’s boss, Otto M. Otto M is the software that enables Industry 4.0 capability and connects OTTO self-driving vehicles with the material flow in a production line. Otto M also exposes a standard API for integration with systems like ERP and MES to orchestrate complex automation with existing enterprise software.
“Otto M gives our customers a simple way to get started, but also the depth of integration needed for a full Industry 4.0 enterprise solution,” says Simon Drexler, director of product at Otto Motors.
The final announcement represents the culmination of work on both Otto’s self-driving vehicles and the software that drives them – the Test Drive program. Test Drive provides North American facility operators with a one week, low-risk trial of an Otto 100 or 1500 self-driving vehicle. See how it works and what customers are saying.
“The Test Drive program was very simple. We uncrated the unit and within about two hours had it running and moving product autonomously. It was very impressive,” said Mike Hall, plant manager at Panocap Canada. “Our team was able to work with the unit, see it in action and understand how Otto reacts in situations unique to our facility – it was so much more than a standard brochure. We were all very excited to see the unit in our space.”
