The transport and logistics industry established itself as an indispensable service during the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to products was limited due to movement restrictions. This has resulted in increased consumer expectations of the industry in terms of shorter delivery timeframes, more detailed forecasting, and increased access to information on delivery status. 

To succeed in the short and long term, organizations in the transport and logistics industry will have to find methods of not only meeting but exceeding consumer expectations. 5G technology will be key to enabling the industry to unlock new innovations that will enhance consumer experience while simultaneously increasing the overall efficiency and sustainability of the business. The areas that 5G will make most difference include improved goods tracking, enhanced customer support and enabling the use of automated vehicles and smart warehouses.  

  1. Improved Goods Tracking

Tracking technologies have been used in the transport and logistics sector for many years to monitor the progress of deliveries. 5G technology is poised to take tracking technologies to the next level through enabling more thorough monitoring of the location and condition of goods at any given time, as opposed to traditional methods, where tracking it restricted to key checkpoints. The technology can also be used to identify and reduce issues throughout the delivery process, such as delays that may occur or cold storage faults.

With detailed insight into every aspect of the supply chain, transport and logistics companies will have access to information and data that can be applied to make deliveries more efficient. This will empower businesses in the sector to become more reliable and more profitable as a result of the reduced possibility of human error.

  1. Powering AR & VR Customer Support

Currently, there are range of AR and VR technologies in development that could be used to the benefit of the transport and logistics industry. 5G technology is the key to introducing these technologies to the mainstream as they require network connections with increased speeds and high capacity.

5G technology is tipped to increase the use of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications across a range of industries. Organizations industry-wide will be able to make use of VR and AR powered by 5G to train employees without impacting daily operations, through creating immersive and realistic experiences delivered through VR and AR. 

For the transport and logistics sector in particular, AR and VR will increase the efficiency of machine and vehicle repairs and maintenance, as remote technicians will be able to assist on-site employees through the use of an AR headset.  This gives more senior employees the ability to remotely monitor the work of on-site employees in real-time, which minimizes the potential for error. 

  1. Enabling Automated Vehicles

The use of automated vehicles in the transport and logistics sector has the potential to make transportation safer and more efficient. Automated vehicles such as cars, trucks, trains and drones are best supported by the low lag-time and high speeds of 5G technology. The low latency and high reliability of 5G technology can be used to create more reliable operations, particularly for monitoring last-kilometer travel. In addition, 5G technology has the ability to power vehicle to everything communication, which is necessary for the safe operation of autonomous vehicles. 

  1. Automation of Factories and Warehouses

With such the high capacity, 5G technology can power connections through the Internet of Things. For businesses in the transport and logistics sector, this means that assembly lines, machines and assets can all be monitored and optimized remotely through connection to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). With almost every asset in a factory connected to IIoT systems, organizations can improve traceability of inventory and dispatch operations while streamlining maintenance requirements, which will ultimately increase efficiency across the entire supply chain.

The efficiency of assembly lines and management of warehouse inventory can be further increased using 5G-powered Artificial Intelligence. The data gathered can be used to apply predictive planning to operations, for example, to better equip businesses to plan for just-in-time (JIT) delivery to ensure goods are delivered at the time when they are needed. 

 

VIAVI Solutions has been an early driver in 5G adoption since 2013. We are committed to delivering innovative and cost-effective 5G testing tools to customers across a range of industries including the transport and logistics industry. 

VIAVI’s 5G test and verification solutions deliver essential validation, verification and visibility for 5G technology. We can provide businesses in the transport and logistics industry with the opportunity to test, enable and assure operations on 5G and optimize these moving forward.

About The Author

Channel Marketing Manager - APAC

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