From Ideas To Execution: How Technologies Will Shape Logistics?

Smart roads are going to create a ton of opportunities for a huge range of industries, but it’s going to benefit the logistics sector the most.

Smart roads are going to create new opportunities and safer driving environments for fleet operatives as well as revolutionizing the highway as we know it. If you want to find out more, take a look below.

What are the Benefits of Smart Roads?

The great thing about smart roads is that they can work well within a connected network. This will improve the transit of both goods and people. Smart roads can also give drivers the warnings they need regarding hazards, which can include road spillages or ice.

Another benefit of smart roads is that they can reduce traffic congestion and they can also provide segmented sections based on the drive or the vehicle type. When you look at both logistics and technologies, you will see that this improves road safety, the amount of traffic that is on the roads at any given time and more. This is going to benefit areas such as Asia and the US the most, as they are responsible for a combined amount of 6.9 trillion Euros according to Statistics.

What Technology Is Used in Logistics?

Right now, it may be hard to imagine a computer driving you from A to B or even receiving a package from a drone. That’s the future though. Autonomous cars are a reality and it would seem that trucks aren’t too far behind either. Uber and Embark have experienced huge growth with autonomous trucks and Tesla are also planning on releasing their own too. Smart driving technology isn’t the only advancement that has been made, because you also have enhanced GPS accuracy too.

The days of you having to print out your directions from a computer before you left the house are long gone. You also don’t have to rely on a paper map to get you from A to B either. Nowadays, everyone uses GPS technology. It doesn’t matter whether it is built-in to the vehicle or whether it is on a device, because the accuracy has increased a huge amount over the years, and this helps drivers who may be lost or frustrated to find out where they are. It also greatly improves the logistics industry.

Supply chains can now operate much more efficiently. The advanced accuracy of a GPS can help you to boost your productivity and it can also help you to make your customers much more satisfied too. If you want to find out more about the technology that is currently being used in the logistics management industry or if you want to learn about logistics and technologies then simply look below.

Cloud-Based Route Planning Software

When you download a cloud-based route planning software, you will be able to access your system anytime, anywhere. You can also access a scalable infrastructure with absolutely no downtime. A lot of systems also give you disaster recovery if you happen to run into any issues.

The great thing about cloud-based optimisation for routes is that you no longer have software which sits on individual computers or networks. You have everything centralised on cloud servers. This means that your staff can easily plan routes from any location they want, as long as they have a stable internet connection. If you perform route planning functions from various distribution centres, then route planning software will certainly benefit you.

AI

Businesses can now be equipped with the insights they need to improve logistical planning as well as their investment decisions. When you look at supply chains, you will see that AI gives companies the chance to predict their sales while also pre-emptively distributing stock to a location that is closer to the customer before it is dispatched.

This drives down costs and it also ensures that the savings are passed on down to the customer too. Previously, people would have to plan out and develop rules and guidelines based on the transportation cost, storage and handling of those goods.

AI has the ability to make quick calculations, where thousands of orders can be considered at any one time. Real-time changes in service levels can be calculated and adverse weather can also be taken into account when routes are documented. Logistics and technologies are always advancing, so it’s interesting to see what will happen in the future as things progress even further with AI.

Augmented Reality

It’s time to dive into how augmented reality can help logistical businesses to take maximum advantage of their company. AR can help you with completeness checks, so that people can see if a load is complete by simply scanning a barcode.

Wearable AR devices allow you to determine the total volume of freight items, through the use of sensors. AR can also be used to streamline truck loading, by replacing the traditional printed cargo list with a digital version. AR is ideal for pinpointing the exact location of an item on the truck too, so keep that

Big Data

Lastly, big data is now being used more than ever in the logistics industry. Analytics represent the ability to make data-driven decisions. This is often done in the form of visuals, through charts, graphs and various other means. Supply chains generally create huge amounts of data.

This data can be harnessed, and it can be used to make the system more efficient. Normally this would have to be done manually, but in this day and age, it’s now easier than ever for you to do it without having to worry about that. You can do it automatically, through the use of digital platforms.

How Technology is Changing the Future of Logistics?

So how is technology changing the future of logistics? It would certainly seem that it is making the industry faster and more agile. People can now easily pinpoint the areas where their system is slow, and correct the issue. You also have the option to document which items are being shipped and which ones are being delayed and you also don’t need to spend time weighing items either.

Technology has made it possible to handle nearly every aspect of the logistical process, faster and easier than ever before. Even drivers are able to get to their destinations with less fatigue because of the advancements in GPS technology. The days of stopping by the side of the road to check a paper map are long gone, and the knock-on effect of this is incredible to say the least.

Author:

Vardan Markosyan is the CEO at Less Platform. He spent decades of research and consultancy on business process optimization and system design.