In context
In late 2024, the robotics industry was actively seeking standardized frameworks to classify and communicate the capabilities of autonomous systems. The automotive sector had long benefited from the SAE's 0-5 autonomy levels, but no equivalent existed for indoor robots, creating confusion among buyers and hindering adoption.
What was reported
Relay Robotics, a provider of indoor delivery robots for hotels and hospitals, published a proposal for SAE-style autonomy levels tailored to indoor robots. The framework, authored by senior navigation engineer Sonali Deshpande and robot systems architect Jim Slater, defines five levels of navigation autonomy.
Level 0 robots are fully manual, such as telepresence units. Level 1 robots follow physical paths defined by wires or magnetic tape, with no obstacle avoidance. Level 2 robots use external beacons or reflectors to follow digitally defined paths but still cannot deviate from them. Level 3 robots rely on onboard sensors (lidar/cameras) to map and navigate dynamically, avoiding obstacles and operating alongside humans; these are classified as autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
Level 4 robots would achieve human-equivalent social navigation in any indoor environment without needing human intervention—a capability not yet fully realized. Level 5, which has no automotive counterpart, would allow robots to operate in completely new environments without prebuilt maps or manual installation, potentially enabled by advances in AI.
“This would remove installation complexity entirely, allowing robots to be operational in new environments instantly, reducing friction for adoption, and paving the way for robots to become more widespread.”
Why it mattered
This proposal aimed to create a common language for evaluating and specifying indoor robot capabilities, helping manufacturers and integrators set expectations and accelerate deployment. By addressing social navigation and installation complexity, it highlighted key barriers to broader automation in human-centric environments.
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2024-11-28 · “Relay Robotics calls for creation of SAE-style autonomy levels for indoor robots”