A laboratory product transport element (30; 730) comprising: an energy source to furnish drive power; at least one signal receiver to receive control signals; a control unit to generate drive signals as a function of at least one control signal obtained from the at least one receiver; at least one movement device, with which the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) can move independently on a transfer path; at least one drive device to drive the at least one movement device as a function of the drive signals of the control unit, the at least one drive device being driven by the drive power; and at least one holder to hold a laboratory product to be transported; the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) further comprising an external communication interface, an output device, and a memory unit coupled to the control unit, characterized in that the memory unit comprises code executable by the control unit to implement a method comprising: constantly controlling the presence of the laboratory product in the laboratory product transport element (30; 730); and generating an error signal if the laboratory product is improperly removed from the at least one holder; and in that the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) comprises a display unit to display information and a recording unit to record information allowing the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) to communicate directly with another laboratory product transport element. an energy source to furnish drive power; at least one signal receiver to receive control signals; a control unit to generate drive signals as a function of at least one control signal obtained from the at least one receiver; at least one movement device, with which the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) can move independently on a transfer path; at least one drive device to drive the at least one movement device as a function of the drive signals of the control unit, the at least one drive device being driven by the drive power; and at least one holder to hold a laboratory product to be transported; the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) further comprising an external communication interface, an output device, and a memory unit coupled to the control unit, characterized in that the memory unit comprises code executable by the control unit to implement a method comprising: constantly controlling the presence of the laboratory product in the laboratory product transport element (30; 730); and generating an error signal if the laboratory product is improperly removed from the at least one holder; and in that the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) comprises a display unit to display information and a recording unit to record information allowing the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) to communicate directly with another laboratory product transport element. constantly controlling the presence of the laboratory product in the laboratory product transport element (30; 730); and generating an error signal if the laboratory product is improperly removed from the at least one holder; and in that the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) comprises a display unit to display information and a recording unit to record information allowing the laboratory product transport element (30; 730) to communicate directly with another laboratory product transport element.