Systems and methods for autonomous lineside parts delivery to an assembly line process

A system of operating a plurality of self-driving material-transport vehicles for autonomous lineside parts delivery to an assembly-line process, the system comprising:

• a fleet-management system having a processor configured to:
• receive a part-supply schedule, the schedule comprising a first part identifier identifying a first part, and a second part identifier identifying a second part, an assembly-line location, a first delivery time, and a second delivery time;
• generate a first mission and a second mission, wherein the first mission comprises picking up and delivering the first part to the assembly-line location at a first delivery time, and the second mission comprises picking up and delivering the second part to the assembly-line location at a second delivery time;
• select a first self-driving material-transport vehicle for executing the first mission and a second self-driving material-transport vehicle for executing the second mission;
• transmit the first mission to the first vehicle, and the second mission to the second vehicle;
• determine that an estimated arrival time of the second vehicle is before an estimated arrival time of the first vehicle;
• automatically generate an updated second mission to re-route the second vehicle from the second pick-up location to a waypoint location;
• transmit the updated second mission to the second vehicle;
• the first vehicle having a first vehicle processor configured to:
• receive the first mission from the fleet-management system;
• and
• execute the first mission such that the first part is supplied to the assembly-line location by the first delivery time;
• and
• the second vehicle having a second vehicle processor configured to:
• receive the second mission from the fleet-management system;
• execute the second mission such that the second part is supplied to the assembly-line location;
• receive the updated second mission from the fleet-management system during execution of the second mission;
• execute the updated second mission by operating the second vehicle to navigate to and stop at the waypoint location for a waiting period;
• and
• subsequent to the waiting period, operate the second vehicle to drive from the waypoint location to the assembly-line location to deliver the second part at the second delivery time.