Piaggio Fast Forward Inc. (PFF) is a Boston-based mobility technology company founded in 2015 by the Italian Piaggio Group, best known as the manufacturer of the Vespa scooter. PFF develops autonomous robotic solutions designed to enhance mobility within urban and human-built environments. By combining Piaggio’s long-standing expertise in mobility with contemporary advances in artificial intelligence and robotics engineering, the company focuses on developing robotic systems that work alongside humans.
Foundation and Vision
Piaggio Fast Forward reflects the Piaggio Group’s vision for the future of mobility. Its mission is to design intuitive and efficient robotic systems that assist people in daily life and work environments—particularly in tasks related to carrying loads, logistics, and personal assistance. Adopting a human-centered design philosophy, PFF develops solutions that address the local mobility needs of both individual users and businesses.
Products and Technology
The company’s main products are gitamini® and gitaplus®, autonomous cargo-carrying and following robots. These robots detect and follow their users’ movements using advanced sensor and camera systems. The technology relies entirely on visual recognition and environmental awareness without requiring any smartphone or GPS connection.
Both gitamini and gitaplus feature water-resistant bodies, allowing operation in both indoor and outdoor environments. They can move smoothly across diverse surfaces such as gravel, slopes, grass, and pavement. After undergoing approximately 1,000 miles of test drives, the robots were released to the market and continue to receive regular software updates that enhance their performance.
Originally focused on consumer-oriented solutions, Piaggio Fast Forward has since expanded its technology to industrial applications. Its following-robot technology is now used in sectors such as hospitality, anufacturing, indoor agriculture, construction, and logistics, supporting human workers with mobile robotic assistance. This approach emphasizes safe and intuitive interaction between robots and humans within dynamic environments.
Design and R&D Approach
PFF follows a “public build” philosophy—designing its products through iterative development informed by continuous user feedback. Its team of engineers, urban planners, and designers collaborates to maintain both the ergonomic functionality and aesthetic coherence of its human-compatible robotic systems. This design ethos enables PFF’s robots to move according to what the company calls “pedestrian etiquette”, ensuring natural and respectful interaction within shared public spaces.
Awards and Recognition
Piaggio Fast Forward’s robotic innovations have received several international awards in design and user experience categories. The company is recognized for its pioneering contributions to human–robot interaction and mobility design.
A notable project from PFF is its collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd. on the Star Wars–themed G1T4-M1N1 droid, which integrates gitamini’s core technology with the aesthetic and design language of the Star Wars universe, bringing the concept of the “droid” into real-world robotics.
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Piaggio Fast Forward operates as a subsidiary of the Piaggio Group, serving as one of the group’s leading technology and innovation hubs within its global mobility strategy.
