OTTO Motors Launches World’s Smartest Autonomous Forklift

OTTO Lifter is Available Through Integrator Partners and Material Handling Solution Providers

Kitchener, ON -- March 24, 2022 - OTTO Motors, a leading provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) today announced the availability of OTTO Lifter, the smartest autonomous forklift on the market. With more than a decade of autonomous material handling expertise, OTTO Motors has built the most productive AMRs with the best driving capabilities for some of the biggest brands in the world. With the addition of OTTO Lifter and its ability to pick up and drop off pallets autonomously, OTTO Motors now has the most comprehensive offering of material handling robots available. OTTO Lifter will be demonstrated alongside OTTOs 100 and 1500 at MODEX on March 28-31 in Atlanta, Georgia at Booth #B4824.

OTTO Lifter is a smart autonomous forklift that drives nimbly in crowded and dynamic environments and improves safety in warehouses and facilities. With advanced safety sensors and class-leading autonomous driving capabilities, OTTO Lifter works alongside people, other vehicles, and existing infrastructure providing businesses a safer material handling solution for as low as $9 per hour. The autonomous forklift is compatible with the entire OTTO Motors fleet of AMRs through OTTO Motors’ Fleet Manager.

In addition to more than eighty integrator partners worldwide including Honeywell Intelligrated, Matthews Automation Solutions, and Gray Solutions, OTTO Motors is now available through through a network of leading material handling solutions providers in North America, including Eastern Lift Truck Co. and Toyota Material Handling Systems of Atlanta.

“Over the last decade, our AMRs have solved material handling challenges for some of the largest companies in the world, but our customers have made it clear that there was a missing member of the team - one that could pick up a pallet on its own,” said Chief Executive Officer and founder of OTTO Motors Matt Rendall. “We’ve answered that call with OTTO Lifter - your new forklift driver. We put years of autonomous driving experience into OTTO Lifter, making it the smartest forklift on the market.”

Built on OTTO Motors’ industry-leading platform for autonomous materials handling, OTTO Lifter’s autonomy software makes intelligent, real-time decisions. With dynamic path planning, lane tending, intelligent pallet detection and stretch wrap piercing, OTTO Lifter seamlessly navigates traffic and obstacles to predictably and precisely deliver materials to the right place, at the right time.

“OTTO Lifter can make real-time decisions in complex environments,” said OTTO Motors’ VP of Product Jay Judkowitz. “Unlike other autonomous forklifts in the market, OTTO Lifter can find a pallet if skewed, adapt behavior in highly-dynamic environments, and choose the best route on its own.”

Some of OTTO Lifter’s key advantages include:

• Adaptability: OTTO Lifter has no problem dealing with dynamic work zones to navigate safely through high traffic areas and intelligently move at speed through low traffic zones. Route optimization is completely autonomous and integrates seamlessly with the design workflows specific to customer needs.
• Precision: OTTO Lifter intelligently determines if a pallet is properly seated, if it is centered or skewed, and whether stretch wrap is covering entry notches. OTTO Lifter can also match its speed to the environment; speeding up when safe to do so and slowing down accordingly.
• Safety: Advanced safety sensors paired with OTTO’s class-leading autonomous driving capabilities reduces risk of workplace safety incidents. OTTO Lifter works safely alongside people, existing infrastructure and other vehicles. 
• Maintenance: OTTO has a proven track record of durability and OTTO Lifter is no different. In addition, OTTO Lifter is built with off-the-shelf parts so maintenance is easy to do with little downtime.
• Set-up: OTTO Lifter is easy to install and is up and running from Day One. 
• Specs: 2,640 lb (1,200 kg) payload capacity; 3.4 mph (1.5 m/s) travel speed; 106 inch (2.7 m) reach height (30 in/0.69 m in autonomous mode)

When traditional forklifts are on-site, they account for ten percent of all physical injuries in those workplaces, an average of 85 deaths annually, and nearly 35,000 serious injuries in the U.S. alone. Seventy percent of all industrial accidents are caused by operator error, according to the National Safety Council. OTTO Motors has three million hours of material handling driving experience with zero safety incidents.

Available Through Network of Material Handling Solutions Providers and Partners

In addition to more than eighty integrator partners worldwide OTTO Motors is now available through some of the largest material handling dealer networks in North America.

“With more than 45 years of experience, Toyota Material Handling Systems has helped warehouse and manufacturing facilities find and deploy the best solutions in material handling. When the team brought OTTO Motors to demo at our facility for the first time, I asked what I had to do to make sure that those vehicles didn’t leave my facility that day because I knew our customers needed what OTTO offers,” said Vice President Zach Smith at Toyota Material Handling Systems. “We’re proud to bring our customers OTTO Motors’ fleet of autonomous mobile robots including their autonomous forklift, OTTO Lifter.”

OTTO Lifter will be showcased in Booth #B4824 at MODEX on March 28-31. OTTO executives and customers will also be speaking at the following sessions:

Seeing Is Believing: Simulating AMRs for Successful Deployments

Date: Tuesday, March 29
Time: 3:45 - 4:30 PM ET
Location: Theater B
Click here for details

Factory Perspective: Lessons Learned in Business-Critical AMR Installations

Date: Wednesday, March 30
Time: 12:00 - 12:45 PM ET
Location: Theater F
Click here for details

About OTTO Motors

OTTO Motors provides autonomous mobile robots for material handling inside manufacturing facilities and warehouses. With over 3 million hours of driving experience, OTTO is trusted for mission-critical deliveries in the most demanding of industrial environments. Seventy percent of OTTO’s customers are Fortune 500 companies and include some of the world’s most recognized brands, including GE and Toyota. For more information, visit www.ottomotors.com.

Press Contacts

Tim Smith
Element Public Relations
Phone: 1.415.350.3019
E-mail: press@ottomotors.com