Pay-per-hour automation model avoids capital costs
5 September 2025 
A UK suppler of autonomous transport systems for factories and warehouses has launched a scheme that allows manufacturers and logistics providers to deploy autonomous vehicles without capital investment. Leicester-based Guidance Automation says that its “Autonomous Go” automation-by-the-hour model will make automation more accessible than ever.
Businesses will pay only for the hours that their systems operate, thus aligning their costs with their outputs. Guidance says that this “flexible, no-risk” approach turns automation into an operating expense, delivering immediate cost savings and productivity gains, while allowing skilled staff to focus on the work they’re best at.
Across the UK, the company points out, manufacturers and logistics operators lose thousands of labour hours to repetitive, non-value-adding tasks such as moving materials or fetching supplies. Traditional automation has often been out of reach to them because of its high costs, complexity and risk. The new pay-per-hour service could change that.
Instead of large capital outlays, businesses will trial a robot in their own facilities for six months with full support. After that, they pay only for the hours that the robot works — typically at half the cost of equivalent manual labour, Guidance suggests. With customisable payload options and minimal disruption, the scheme offers a low-risk path to quick and measurable ROI.
Guidance argues that the model will help businesses to reduce wasted motion, improve task allocation, and increase productivity. By handling repetitive, low-value tasks, the robots will enable skilled workers to focus on higher-impact work – enhancing output without replacing people.
Guidance Automation has more than 30 years of experience helping SMEs to automate their material-handling and transport activities.
