Smart (or networked) logistics enables the tracking of the movement and delivery of goods and services in near real time.
One area where most people feel the impact of smart logistics is same-day delivery of goods to their doorstep. This magical same-day delivery is made possible by smart logistics with the help of The Internet of Things (IoT). In addition to this same-day delivery, the ability to track items on the go is a feature that consumers are increasingly demanding. E-commerce companies, app-based taxi service providers, and grocery delivery companies all adopted smart logistics some time ago. Due to their success, the demand for smart logistics has grown rapidly.
Other examples of the use of smart logistics include shipping products that require a certain temperature and humidity to stay fresh during transit. Appropriate sensors can inform customers or shippers of any fluctuations during transport. An IoT-enabled smart logistics solution can also remotely monitor power outages and battery charge levels. This way, an alert can notify the driver when a power outage is imminent. This may give him enough time to take corrective action and save the shipment.
Innovative applications that use IoT-powered smart logistics are growing rapidly, and companies need to take advantage of such solutions to stay competitive. Other examples of solutions already in use or in development include:
- Smart warehouse systems – These whole buildings can keep an accurate record of real-time inventory in the warehouse. These systems even store the location of items. By combining IoT with blockchain technology, the warehouse ensures secure and transparent machine-to-machine transactions.
- Autonomous fleets – Self-driving cars are just the tip of the iceberg. Soon, fleets of delivery drones will open up new opportunities for logistics in the coming years.
IoT will generate data at a scale far beyond what is produced today. Combined with even more advanced machine learning, this will uncover the hidden meaning of logistics data. Data from the beginning to the end of the supply chain will help improve efficiency in all aspects. From consumption-based orders to tailored delivery windows, the IoT opens up new possibilities for logistics solutions.