Amazon has acquired Canvas Technology, a robotics startup company that has developed autonomous vehicles that seamlessly move goods around warehouses.

Canvas Technology uses “spatial artificial intelligence” and state-of-the-art cameras to help vehicles autonomously navigate through areas with a lot of moving parts, including people on foot and operating equipment.

“We are inspired by Canvas Technology’s innovations and share a common vision for a future where people work alongside robotics to further improve safety and the workplace experience,” Amazon said in a statement.

“We look forward to working with Canvas Technology’s fantastic team to keep inventing for customers.”

Amazon has not disclosed the purchase price for the Colorado-based startup.

The acquisition builds on Amazon’s US$775 million acquisition of robotics company Kiva Systems in 2012. 

Amazon is the world's largest online retailer which has increasingly automated its fulfillment centres with robots.