Stellantis has introduced a virtual reality forklift simulator at its Sterling Heights Stamping Facility to accelerate operator training and bolster workplace safety, company officials demonstrated to reporters Oct. 22.
Simulator used before real-world driving
The VR system, which Stellantis adopted after discovering it at the automaker’s Factory Booster Day showcase, is in place at what the company describes as the world’s largest stamping plant and has been used at the site for about a year. The simulator lets trainees practice steering, stopping, loading and unloading in a virtual environment before they operate an actual forklift.
Joe Weber, Stellantis’ head of North American Manufacturing Innovation, explained the rationale behind the technology: by getting workers familiar with controls in a simulated cab first, trainers can make hands-on instruction more efficient and potentially shorten the time required to build operator confidence and competence.
"If we can get (the workforce) in the seat before they get into an actual forklift, we can get them comfortable with it, right?"
Training modules and performance tracking
Observers who tried the simulator at the plant noted it operates much like a video game, with visual cues and progressive difficulty. Yellow directional arrows guide users to target areas for loading and unloading, and a series of modular exercises sharpen discrete skills, including maneuvering through obstacles and reacting to pedestrians stepping into the lift's path.
According to Haikal Alwageeh, methods manager at the Sterling Stamping plant, the system is useful for people who have never operated a forklift, because it demonstrates how the vehicle turns and how acceleration and braking feel in different scenarios.
- Skill modules: obstacle courses, loading/unloading, stacking
- Visual guidance: highlighted targets and directional cues
- Metrics: safety monitoring, crate damage assessment, performance tracking
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Modular training levels | Focus training on discrete skills (maneuvering, braking, loading) |
| Performance tracking | Measure safety behaviors and potential crate damage in simulation |
| Visual cues | Guide trainee actions and reduce cognitive load during learning |
Safety and efficiency implications
Stellantis frames the simulator as a tool to reduce forklift-related injuries by allowing employees to build familiarity with controls and tasks in a zero-risk environment. The software's ability to record performance and estimate damage when crates are mishandled provides trainers quantitative feedback to target remediation.
While Stellantis did not disclose the purchase price, the company said it procured the system after seeing the vendor at its Factory Booster Day event, which pairs startups and suppliers with manufacturing leaders inside the automaker. The demonstration and ongoing use at Sterling Heights underscore a broader trend of manufacturers piloting immersive and data-driven tools to speed training and improve workplace safety.
Outlook for wider adoption
For other manufacturers, the appeal is pragmatic: immersive simulation can lower the barrier to initial training, reduce the time trainers must spend in risk-prone environments, and provide consistent assessment metrics across cohorts. As the technology matures and more firms evaluate cost, usability and measurable safety outcomes, VR training for material-handling equipment could become part of standard workforce development programs across the industry.
Stellantis’ experiment reveals how automotive manufacturers are applying digital tools beyond design and production line optimization to address human factors and occupational risk — a step that may influence how companies invest in training technologies going forward.
