Crown Equipment’s LiDAR-Based ProximityAssist System Reinforces Operator Training and Best Practices

NEW BREMEN, Ohio (May 15, 2025) – Crown Equipment, one of the world’s largest material handling companies, recently introduced its ProximityAssist System, a LiDAR-based, integrated operator assist technology designed to aid operators in the operation of material handling equipment.

When Crown’s ProximityAssist System detects an object in the vehicle’s expected path of travel, it automatically slows the forklift. The operator maintains complete control of the forklift to respond to the object in the forklift’s path. Lift trucks equipped with Crown’s InfoLink 7” Touch Display or the Gena operating system’s 7” touch screen will also provide visual and audible alerts when an object is detected.

“The ProximityAssist System can be a valuable tool for reinforcing operator training and increasing awareness,” said Jared Green, director of global sales for automation and emerging technology, Crown Equipment. “It is important to note that this type of detection and alert system does not eliminate the responsibility of operators and pedestrians to be aware of each other and maintain a safe working environment. Operators must be fully trained and capable of operating the lift truck safely with or without the assist feature.”

The ProximityAssist System is an integrated and responsive operator assist technology designed and configured specifically for the forklift model on which it is used. Each configuration is designed to detect objects such as racking, pallet loads, boxes and other objects in the forklift’s expected path of travel.

The integration utilizes inputs from the forklift’s steering and travel systems to automatically adjust the sensor’s field of view to properly align with the expected path of the forklift more consistently than other technologies on the market. This dynamic field of view makes instantaneous adjustments based on the steer direction and the travel speed of the forklift to focus on objects in this expected path.

The ProximityAssist System’s sensors are mounted in a rugged steel housing to protect them from potential damage. They are located low to the ground, allowing the system to detect objects such as racking, pallet loads, boxes and other obstructions near ground level while traveling in the power unit direction. Crown’s design, engineering and onboarding process distinguishes its ProximityAssist System from other operator assist systems, generating reliable performance to increase user acceptance and build operator confidence.

The ProximityAssist System is currently available with new Crown reach trucks, order pickers and stand-up counterbalance lift trucks. It is also available as a retrofit solution for these lift trucks as well as Crown’s turret trucks, tow tractors and select rider pallet trucks. For more information, visit crown.com.

About Crown Equipment Corporation

Crown is one of the world’s largest material handling companies with a reputation for award-winning product design, advanced engineering and technology, and superior after-sale service. For 80 years, Crown has been providing customers with products, services, and solutions they can count on. Crown’s business philosophy utilizes vertically integrated processes to design, manufacture and distribute forward-thinking, innovative solutions that improve customers’ productivity and operating efficiency. Crown produces a broad range of forklifts, batteries and chargers, as well as automation solutions and fleet management technologies, and warehouse solutions products and design services.

The company’s global headquarters is located in New Bremen, Ohio, USA, with regional headquarters in Australia, China, Germany and Singapore. Its employees number more than 19,600 worldwide. Crown operates a service and distribution network that exceeds 500 retail locations in over 80 countries. To learn more about Crown’s ideas for helping customers advance the productivity of their operations, visit crown.com.