Warehouse automation can benefit from the combination of robots, artificial intelligence, and industrial technology. Aptiv PLC and Vecna Robotics today announced a strategic collaboration to co-develop next-generation systems to deliver cost-efficient automation.
The partnership combines Aptiv’s perception and machine learning (ML) technologies with Vecna’s advanced autonomy and orchestration platform. The companies said this will provide safer, more efficient, reliable, and scalable autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
“Automation is transforming the way goods move through warehouses and factories, with devices that sense, think, and act in real time,” stated Javed Khan, executive vice president for intelligent systems at Aptiv. “Our collaboration with Vecna Robotics combines Aptiv’s advanced perception, compute, and software solutions with Vecna’s proven expertise in autonomous material handling. Together, we’re making automation safer, smarter, and more affordable—helping customers meet the demands of modern logistics.”
Schaffhausen, Switzerland-based Aptiv said it is a global industrial technology company focused on enabling a more automated, electrified, and digitalized future. The automotive parts supplier has also invested in autonomous vehicle startups.
Save the date for the 2026 Robotics SummitAptiv brings new capabilities to AMRs
“As the AMR market matures, customers are increasingly asking for greater capability at lower total system cost,” said Karl Iagnemma, CEO of Vecna Robotics. “At the same time, perception and machine-learning technologies developed for automated vehicles have reached a level of robustness that makes them highly applicable to structured industrial environments like warehouses.”
“Having seen firsthand how automotive-scale perception and AI systems perform in complex, real-world conditions, it became clear that — when paired with Vecna’s intralogistics expertise — there was an opportunity to bring that level of robustness and cost optimization into warehouse automation,” he told Automated Warehouse. “That combination of proven AI technology and a clear path to improved economics ultimately made the Aptiv partnership worth exploring.”
Vecna Robotics and Aptiv said their joint offering will combine several key capabilities:
Sensing hardware: Aptiv’s PULSE Sensor is a compact, surround-view camera paired with an ultrashort-range radar, enabling reliable and accurate 360-degree sensing.
Real-time perception and dynamic path planning: The company added that its Radar ML and Behavior ML deliver advanced machine learning technologies for navigation in complex environments.
Embedded software and compute: Aptiv said it built the system on its scalable, efficient, and high-performance compute platform—including the VxWorks real-time operating system (RTOS) and Wind River Helix virtualization platform. It claimed that it delivers best-in-class performance, advanced virtualization, ultra-low latency, and flexibility to support a wide range of system designs.
Autonomy and workflow orchestration: Vecna Robotics asserted that its platform is equipped with advanced perception and fail-safe navigation systems. The company noted that it prioritizes workplace safety by detecting and avoiding obstacles in real time—even in mixed-traffic environments.
In addition, Vecna said its CaseFlow integration enables orchestration of workflows across people, forklifts, and other automation, ensuring optimized throughput without disrupting existing operations.
While Vecna has its own software, it found that Aptiv’s technology could improve robustness and performance, said Iagnemma. He was co-founder and former CEO of nuTonomy, which Aptiv (as Delphi Automotive) acquired in 2017.
Vecna provides AI-driven autonomy, orchestration
Vecna Robotics has designed its systems to adapt to dynamic warehouse and factory environments. With its AMRs and the Pivotal orchestration platform, the Waltham, Mass.-based company said it can boost throughput, reduce labor strain, and deliver a fast return on investment (ROI).
“By combining our AI-driven autonomy and orchestration with Aptiv’s advanced perception and compute technologies, we’re enabling more efficient workflows, safer operations, and meaningful cost savings for customers seeking to modernize without major infrastructure investment,” Iagnemma said. “The results of the partnership could be deployed across Vecna’s AMR product line, including the Automated Forklift, Automated Tugger, and Co-Bot Pallet Jack products.”
He cited workflows that will benefit from the collaboration, including case picking, point-to-point transport, putaway, cross docking, line-side delivery, end-of-line tasks, and work in progress.
“By leveraging Aptiv’s automotive-scale perception and AI technologies, the companies can reduce reliance on traditionally expensive sensors and compute platforms while maintaining — and in some cases improving — system performance,” Iagnemma added. “This helps address customer sensitivity to upfront cost and total cost of ownership.”
Vecna Robotics plans to be the primary system integrator, ensuring continuity for customers across deployment, operations, and lifecycle support, he said. Aptiv will showcase Vecna’s CPJ Co-Bot pallet jack in its pavilion at CES 2026.
