Many of us know the frustration at receiving a late delivery. Thankfully, technological advances are revolutionising the transportation and logistics industry. Continue below to see our list of the top 4 amazing transportation technologies heading your way.
1. Delivery Drones
Private trials of delivery drones have taken place in the UK as they are being hailed as the ‘next big thing’ in the logistics industry. The first purchase was delivered through Amazon’s Prime Air in 2016, delivering an Amazon Fire TV and a bag of popcorn, all within 30 minutes of the purchase.
Despite the praise, many experts believe transport drones won’t be seen regularly for another decade. Despite this, businesses must be competitive, with efficient and quick logistics processes. As traditional goods transportation methods are costly, don’t be surprised if you see a drone delivering your neighbours new TV a lot sooner than you expected!
2. Connected Vehicles
A 2015 study identified connected vehicles as one of the most important factors in achieving an efficient supply chain. Connected vehicles allow communication with infrastructure and between other cars through a wireless-based system. The driver can receive information about potential hazards such as road closures, ahead of time, allowing routes to be adjusted accordingly.
Drivers with time-sensitive packages can reduce their journey time while optimising asset tracking through real time communication to central operations systems. Also, 67% of connected fleets have observed safety improvements and could drastically decrease annual road casualties within the logistics industry.
3. Driverless Cars
Cars being driven – by themselves – may be something out of a science fiction movie. Despite this, Google and Ford have created cars which can detect buildings, exit ramps, changing speeds and more, without a driver. Google’s autonomous vehicles have been driven more than 1.4 million times, with amazingly only 1 incident, while Australian trials are set to begin this year.
Although driverless cars transporting tonnes of goods is a while off, autonomous forklifts have already been integrated into logistics processes. Nevertheless, with Mercedes-Benz releasing a semi-autonomous truck scheduled in 2025, be sure to watch this space.
4. Uber for Trucks
The popular app Uber has entered the logistics industry with their trucking dispatch service, Uber Freight. Connecting trucking companies directly with shippers, product lead Eric Berdinis believes the app will “power a wide range of transportation needs for business’, employees, customers and goods”.
A major appeal of Uber Freight is removing freight brokers. This third party involves individuals or companies connecting shippers with carriers, whilst receiving a 15% commission. Removing this third party will optimise supply chains and decrease monetary expenses.
At Gamma Solutions, we offer solutions such as asset tracking and load management for efficient processes within the transportation and logistics industry. Contact us today to find out more.
