Operating different mobile robots with a single control system in a mixed fleet – this is made possible by the VDA 5050 communication interface. It creates an open foundation for cross-manufacturer data exchange and thus supports scalable automation concepts required by both system providers and operators of logistics environments. With version 3.0, the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA e.V.) are now expanding the interface so that mobile robots with higher levels of autonomy can also be better integrated. The publication was preceded by intensive development work in the working groups of both associations, under the technical supervision of the Institute of Materials Handling and Logistics (IFL) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The public consultation phase on GitHub, which ran until early February 2026, also yielded a great deal of constructive feedback, which has been incorporated into the new version.

“Version 3.0 of VDA 5050 creates the conditions necessary to meet the growing demands for efficiency and flexibility in intralogistics material flow. The update provides exactly the tools we need for the next stage of automation in mobile robots – and thus becomes a strategic building block for the future viability of global production and logistics environments,” emphasises Dr Marcus Bollig, VDA Managing Director.

“The current version of VDA 5050 is the result of seven years of transparent and practice-oriented development work. It is an offering to the industry and must, of course, meet its requirements. With version 3.0, VDA 5050 becomes a toolkit for mobile robots of all kinds and, in our view, covers the current state of mobile robotics technology well. We are very keen to see how it proves itself in specific applications in retail and industry,” says Andreas Scherb, Mobile Robots Department at the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association.

New features in version 3.0

Version 3.0 of VDA 5050 serves as a toolkit for automation projects involving various mobile robots and a master control system. The appropriate structure can be selected depending on the robots’ level of autonomy and the specific project requirements.

For mobile robots with a high degree of autonomy, a zone concept for free navigation has been introduced. The zones define areas with specific rules governing the robots’ movement, such as restricted areas, one-way routes or areas where the master controller must grant explicit authorisation. Using this information, the robots independently plan their own routes between the specified waypoints. This allows the central control system to continue influencing where and how robots move, whilst the detailed route planning takes place on the vehicle itself. The mobile robots can then share these paths with the central control system via ‘path sharing’, enabling the latter to continue influencing traffic management.

Further innovations simplify the use of the robots. For instance, error messages from the robots can be displayed in the local languages stored on the vehicle. With the addition of a power-saving mode, mobile robots can be put into or reactivated from an energy-saving mode via a standardised action.

The existing concepts with predefined trajectories and corridors for obstacle avoidance remain an integral part of the interface in version 3.0, in order to cover all types of mobile robots.