Abstract: An automated vehicle guidance system (100) includes automated self-propelled vehicles (102) selectively traveling a guidepath (114) comprising a plurality of interconnected guidelines (110, 116, 118). The guidepath (114) comprises an electric field wire system comprising a series of wire segments buried under a floor surface (112), and excited by an alternating current (AC) voltage source (210) referenced to earth ground. Voltage probes (222, 224) sense the electric field emanating from the guidepath segments and generate an intelligence signal for appropriately steering the vehicle (102) along the guidepath (114).