Standardization News

A new ASTM International standard will provide specifications for objects used in testing automatic, automated, or autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (A-UGVs). The standard was developed by ASTM’s committee on robotics, automation, and autonomous systems (F45).

This standard (F3588) provides specifications for a set of reference objects to act as obstacles or infrastructure for testing the capabilities of A-UGVs. The objects represent those common in many manufacturing environments. According to ASTM International F45 committee chair Adam Norton, this helps both developers of A-UGVs and those looking to use them with evaluating their systems.

“For example, one object is a pallet that an A-UGV may need to avoid while navigating through a facility; another object is a rack that an A-UGV may need to position itself in front of in order to dock with it,” says Norton.

The group is next going to develop standards concerned with dynamic obstacles, including those that move and change position.

Norton notes that help from A-UGV developers and integrators will be helpful for these future standard development goals.

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