Book excerpt: The Oxford University Robotics Research Group has been working for several years to improve the ability of automated guided vehicles. This book brings together much of the key research work on sensors and planning that was inspired by an industrial vehicle donated by a factory automation division in GEC, GEC-FAST, together with background material to provide a basic but up-to-date reference guide to autonomous vehicle research. The book includes work on control, sensing technologies, sensor management and data-fusion, different styles of path planning suited for off-line or online plans and task planning. It is designed to act both as a reference for the robotics professional, and as a text for university-level courses.