Hyster-Yale Group and information technology company NTT Data will work together to develop automated forklifts.

The two companies say they will focus on technology for autonomous materials-handling equipment for warehousing and manufacturing facilities.

“Integrating NTT Data's broader digital capabilities in lift trucks including software product engineering, networking, cloud and consulting, will help drive industry transformation in supply chain logistics,” says Prasoon Saxena, president of manufacturing at NTT Data Services.

NTT Data is already a core IT services partner for Hyster-Yale, offering users access to its services, including integration and consulting.

“Our focus is leveraging technology to address major labour and productivity challenges for materials handling applications, and it made sense to work with an established and trusted resource like NTT DATA,” says David LeBlanc, president of Hyster-Yale’s technology solutions division.