The logistics industry is leaning into future supply chain tracking with advanced technologies. New logistic tracking technologies are capable of monitoring the location and status of cargo in real-time. This means the future of the logistics industry is one where things move more efficiently and get to where they need to be faster.
The change made possible by just this type of supply chain and logistics technology is staged to break new ground and shape future logistics. The logistics services leading the pack are poised and ready to adopt new logistics technologies like the ones discussed below.
Shipment Tracking Systems
A new logistics tracking solution used for advanced managed logistics is a category of technologies known as shipment tracking systems. In the past, consumers would book shipments and be left with no idea where their cargo was in the progress of the logistics. Today, digital technology allows for real-time data about where objects are located in the supply chain as well as future supply chain tracking.
Supply chain and logistics technology help consumers understand where their materials are in the logistics process. However, information technology for logistics goes much further than just tracking – and many of them are focused on improving the logistics consumer experience.
More Consumer Channels
Today, consumers are more informed than they have ever been. This is thanks to the fact that we are quickly approaching the future of logistics industry, as shown by the growth in the type and variety of consumer channels. Businesses want to engage more deeply with their shoppers, and digital technology trends in logistics are opening up new opportunities.
Modern logistics has been transformed by e-commerce, and there is no shortage of consumer channels demanding better technology in transportation and logistics. Every major retailer has an online shopping option, and many guarantee fast, low-cost shipping. This is only possible today thanks to information technology for logistics.
RFID (Radio Frequency Verification) and IOT (Internet of Things)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a constant topic in logistics technology news. The massive network created by the connection of digital devices across the internet. This makes it possible, for example, for your vehicle to send status updates to your phone or for you to control your smart thermostat using a mobile app. Sensors built into wifi-enabled devices make it possible to perform advanced and sophisticated monitoring, opening up new possibilities in the future of the logistics industry.
Radio Frequency Verification (RFID) is a technology that companies use in addition to IoT devices to track inventory. RFID has been a staple in the logistics industry for years, and it works by tagging cargo with sensors that emit radio frequencies. This longstanding technology in transportation and logistics allows companies to track cargo by pinging the radio waves emitted by the sensor.
Robotized Logistics
Automation is powering the future of logistics. Logistics robots can increase the efficiency of the logistics industry by helping human workers with redundant tasks. Automation can also increase the overall productivity of movement along the supply chain by expanding the type of work that can be done.
Some in the logistics industry shudder at the idea of robots taking the jobs of human workers, but this supply chain and logistics technology are more often helping people than replacing their work. By leaving the harder manual labor to automation technology, the future of logistics is open to new jobs that involve more analytical thinking and consumer care.
Mobile Apps
It seems like there’s an app for everything, and the logistics industry is no exception! Shipper-driver matching apps are creating future logistics by matching shippers to cargo based on real-time demand. This helps packages get out the door faster and expands transportation networks to any local neighborhood.
3D Printers
On-the-fly 3D printing solutions are becoming a big part of problem-solving in the logistics industry. This technology allows suppliers to literally print physical objects, like spare parts or packaging materials. By speeding up the production and shipping process, this supply chain and logistics technology improve order fulfillment and customer satisfaction.
More Accurate GPS
It’s hard to even imagine a time when directions were not available via GPS. The availability and accuracy of this critical location technology have been among the most transformative things for the future of logistics.
Drones and Autopiloted Trucks
Supply chain and logistics technology has embraced automation in shipping and warehousing, but now it is becoming possible for fully autonomous shipping to make its way into the logistics industry. Amazon has announced its intention to begin shipping packages directly to consumers via robotic drone, a program dubbed Amazon Prime Air. Uber is another well-known name in this space. The technology company is competing with the likes of Embark and Tesla to release driverless trucks. This groundbreaking new technology in logistics will improve speed, delivery of service, customer satisfaction, as well as highway safety.
Conclusion
Technology in transportation and logistics is evolving every day. Nobody can be sure where the future of logistics technology will go, but without a doubt companies that embrace new logistics tracking solutions, automation, and other cutting-edge technologies will fare far better.
A 3PL company that offers nationwide solutions for logistics across the country only stands to improve by adopting better technologies. These improvements can come in the form of better pricing options, increased consumer satisfaction, higher speed of delivery, and better quality of service. If you need logistics solutions, reach out and get a quote today from Cowtown Logistics Freight Management.
