Logistics: Already Existing Digitalization and Robotization Examples Bound to Become Future Trends
The field of transportation and logistics is passing through its new development. Multiple achievements of technological progress cause both gradual evolutionary and rapid revolutionary processes to happen. It becomes possible to use the latest digital technologies instead of only counting miles, pounds, and wasted fuel gallons.
Here are some of the digital solutions in logistics already in use and simply bound to change the entire transportation industry's look. The future begins today.
Automation of Everything
Starsky Robotics tested the automated uncrewed truck on a public highway over a year ago back in summer 2019. Companies are attempting to create a serial automated cargo vehicle, and the success of their initiative will surely cause a revolution in transportation. Automated trucks get human needs (sleep, rest, eating, etc.) excluded from the process entirely and make goods delivery faster and cheaper.
Amazon is already using warehouse robotics solutions to automate loading. Sooner or later, most warehouses will be managed by machines. Most probably, today's loaders should be made to requalify into someone called, for instance, warehouse drone maintenance specialists. Students might want to choose this as their assignment’s topic before ordering an essay online.
Air cargo automated transportation has already begun, too. For now, the same Amazon, along with some other networks like KFC, are developing and testing small aerial drones to deliver their goods to consumers in city zones. In the nearest future, automated delivery systems will become regular.
Internet of Things (IoT) and Supply Chain Visibility (SCV)
The Internet of Things is getting into numerous fields nowadays. So it does into logistics and transportation: the overall globalization of logistics requires suitable synchronization software to appear and apply to reach better automation effectiveness.
The IoT expansion is connected to the self-constructing interlinked system of all the separate nods, starting from the goods themselves and ending with the largest transportation hubs. The availability of so much data makes it possible to manage crucial nods with remote controlling solutions, track the goods, calculate possible risks, predict road traffic conditions at the required moment, etc.
The utilization of all this real-time generated info gives the transporting company huge advantages over competitors with significantly increased productivity, cargo bandwidth, and more control at any stage of the transportation process. Combined with another trendy solution, blockchain, the Internet of Things makes the entire supply chain visible. According to Frost & Sullivan market research results, the application of IoT initiatives gives the logistics company up to 10-15 percent more income per year.
Adapted Blockchain Solutions
People usually associate blockchain with cryptocurrency coins and mining, but the idea's potential is much wider and deeper. Since the moment of its first market appearance in 2008, this technology turned from a freaky initiative into arguably the most popular thing in any tech field. Despite blockchain has been difficult for the general public to understand it and the benefits it might offer, multiple industries adapted this technology to their needs. And so did logistics.
With the possibilities offered by blockchain features, the accounting and tracking transparency of the entire transportation field may reach a whole next-generation level. For instance, it can be possible for a customer to track the ordered goods' entire way, from manufacturing to delivery. Moreover, any fraud attempt will be disclosed quickly, making the companies and law enforcement services react almost instantly. The increased safety of digital money withdrawals will be another evolutionary step to happen due to blockchain smart contracts.
Smart contracts themselves may be used in logistics, too. For example, distributors might want the process of goods purchasing to be automated. This would minimize red tapes and the influence of human factors, boost the entire system effectiveness, and make the supply chain even more transparent.
The additional advantage offered by blockchain is the time economy. It can erase the need for bureaucratic processes and tons of paperwork performed by humans and make the data coordination much simpler. The money-saving potential of the technology, in that case, is massive. The costs spent by companies to administrate and process papers take about 1/5 of their overall operational expenses.
To Conclude
These were only three big trends in logistics implemented nowadays to change the entire industry in the future. To remain competitive, transportation companies will need to demonstrate great flexibility and to implement numerous innovations.
Nowadays, even the old giants of the field need to keep an eye on small newcomers. A single digital solution applied timely and correctly can give any transportation business an immense competitive advant
