Responding to the need for materials handling equipment which is able to navigate tight spaces, German forklift manufacturer Hubtex has released the first sensory aisle entry assistance system.

Hubtex says the technology has grown from the need for improved safety while operating multidirectional sideloaders in narrow aisles.

The technology has been designed to enable equipment handling long goods to enter aisles without collisions, using a 2D lidar sensor which determines the relative distance to the entry funnel and orients the vehicle to the centre of the aisle.

Hubtex head of product management Michael Röbig explains: “Based on this information, the assistance system aligns the truck centrally in front of the aisle and parallel to its course.

“The truck can therefore enter the aisle without colliding,” Röbig continues. “This allows the driver to concentrate on monitoring the vehicle's surroundings and set a speed appropriate to the situation.”

The technology is available in two versions: a stand-alone system and an integration into the pedestrian safety system. It can be fitted to all PhoeniX models 

The move to narrower aisles in the materials handling sector is often the result of a scarcity of space, increasing warehouse acquisition costs and the rise of e-commerce.