Aiming at the local minimum and target unreachable problems in traditional artificial potential field method path planning,an improved artificial potential field method for automated guided vehicle(AGV) path planning was proposed.In the algorithm,the road boundary was obstructed and the obstacles in the obstacle-intensive area were interlocked,the distance factor between the target point and AGV was introduced into the repulsion function,and virtual obstacles were added at suitable locations near the local minimum point.Simulation results show that by using the improved algorithm,the local minimum problem and the target unreachable problem can be effectively solved,and at the same timethe AGV can avoid obstacles trapsand successfully reach the target point.