An automated transportation (10) system includes a plurality of vehicles
(22) adapted to travel along a pathway, and a monitoring system (70)
located within each vehicle and adapted to monitor a location and a speed
between an associated vehicle and the pathway. The automated
transportation system (10) also includes a transmitter (72) located
within each vehicle (22) and adapted to transmit a signal that includes
data on the location and the speed monitored, and a receiver (76) located
within each vehicle and adapted to receive the signal from each of the
other vehicles. The automated transportation system (10) further includes
a controller (78) located within each vehicle and adapted to interpret
the signal received by the receiver and control the associated vehicle to
provide proper spacing between the remaining vehicles to avoid collisions
therebetween and maximize throughput of the vehicles along the pathway.