A3 publishes ISO 21423, a shared standard for mixed-vendor mobile robot fleets

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has published ISO 21423:2026, an international standard for communication among industrial mobile robots, whatever the vendor or model. It was developed by ISO Technical Committee 299 and applies to automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots and similar machines working in the same facility.

The standard describes how robots, fleet managers and other equipment swap information and request actions. Robots can share their position, speed, direction, condition, tasks and availability. It also covers links to machines the robots tend, enterprise resource planning software, and building systems such as lifts, automated doors and alarms. People carrying mobile devices can take part too, so their work is coordinated with the robots. A3 says it is the first non-safety robot standard the group has helped produce.

The document costs $373, or $320 for A3 members.

Why it matters

Today, a site that buys robots from several makers often cannot get them to coordinate, which leads to robots blocking each other's paths. A3 says a common protocol should cut such conflicts, raise robot availability and open the market to more competition. Carole Franklin, A3's director of standards development for robotics, said industrial users have asked for this for years.

What to watch next: which robot makers and fleet software vendors announce support. A3 has not named any adopters or given a timeline for products that follow the standard.