The article discusses the innovative use of autonomous vehicles in warehouses, particularly focusing on the Kiva warehouse-management system. This system uses small, autonomous robots called "drive units" to transport inventory pods, which are three-foot-square units containing multiple bins of products. The key innovation is that these drive units bring the products to the workers, significantly increasing productivity and flexibility. The system is designed as a multiagent system, where each drive unit and station is an agent that communicates and coordinates with others through XML messages. The Job Manager (JM) centralizes resource allocation, task planning, and control. The system has been successfully deployed in various warehouses, including a candy warehouse and a distribution center for Staples, demonstrating significant improvements in efficiency and flexibility. The article also highlights the benefits of rapid deployment, spatial flexibility, and expandability, making it a cost-effective and adaptable solution for warehouse management.The article discusses the innovative use of autonomous vehicles in warehouses, particularly focusing on the Kiva warehouse-management system. This system uses small, autonomous robots called "drive units" to transport inventory pods, which are three-foot-square units containing multiple bins of products. The key innovation is that these drive units bring the products to the workers, significantly increasing productivity and flexibility. The system is designed as a multiagent system, where each drive unit and station is an agent that communicates and coordinates with others through XML messages. The Job Manager (JM) centralizes resource allocation, task planning, and control. The system has been successfully deployed in various warehouses, including a candy warehouse and a distribution center for Staples, demonstrating significant improvements in efficiency and flexibility. The article also highlights the benefits of rapid deployment, spatial flexibility, and expandability, making it a cost-effective and adaptable solution for warehouse management.