A linear drive system comprising: a plurality of movers, wherein each of the plurality of movers includes at least one position magnet mounted to the mover for detecting a position of the mover; a track including a plurality of track segments defining a path along which each of the plurality of movers travels, wherein each of the plurality of track segments includes: (a) a plurality of drive coils spaced along the track segment; (b) a segment controller configured to operate the plurality of drive coils, wherein operating a drive coil proximal to a mover causes the mover to travel along a portion of the track segment; and (c) a plurality of position sensors spaced along the track segment, wherein each of the position sensors is operative to detect the at least one position magnet mounted to each mover and to generate a position feedback signal corresponding to the at least one position magnet detected in proximity to the position sensor; and a central controller in communication with the segment controllers, wherein the plurality of movers are arranged in a group with one mover of the plurality of movers being a reference mover and any other mover of the plurality of movers being a grouped mover, wherein motion of the reference mover is determined according to a motion profile defined by the central controller or a segment controller of any track segment in which the grouped mover is traveling, and wherein motion of any grouped mover is determined according to an offset with respect to the reference mover; and a synchronization controller in communication with the central controller, wherein a section of the track is a synchronization zone, and wherein the motion profile for any grouped mover in the synchronization zone is defined by the synchronization controller instead of the central controller or a segment controller when the grouped mover is in the synchronization zone. a plurality of movers, wherein each of the plurality of movers includes at least one position magnet mounted to the mover for detecting a position of the mover; a track including a plurality of track segments defining a path along which each of the plurality of movers travels, wherein each of the plurality of track segments includes: (a) a plurality of drive coils spaced along the track segment; (b) a segment controller configured to operate the plurality of drive coils, wherein operating a drive coil proximal to a mover causes the mover to travel along a portion of the track segment; and (c) a plurality of position sensors spaced along the track segment, wherein each of the position sensors is operative to detect the at least one position magnet mounted to each mover and to generate a position feedback signal corresponding to the at least one position magnet detected in proximity to the position sensor; and (a) a plurality of drive coils spaced along the track segment; (b) a segment controller configured to operate the plurality of drive coils, wherein operating a drive coil proximal to a mover causes the mover to travel along a portion of the track segment; and (c) a plurality of position sensors spaced along the track segment, wherein each of the position sensors is operative to detect the at least one position magnet mounted to each mover and to generate a position feedback signal corresponding to the at least one position magnet detected in proximity to the position sensor; and a central controller in communication with the segment controllers, wherein the plurality of movers are arranged in a group with one mover of the plurality of movers being a reference mover and any other mover of the plurality of movers being a grouped mover, wherein motion of the reference mover is determined according to a motion profile defined by the central controller or a segment controller of any track segment in which the grouped mover is traveling, and wherein motion of any grouped mover is determined according to an offset with respect to the reference mover; and a synchronization controller in communication with the central controller, wherein a section of the track is a synchronization zone, and wherein the motion profile for any grouped mover in the synchronization zone is defined by the synchronization controller instead of the central controller or a segment controller when the grouped mover is in the synchronization zone.