Around the world, shippers are gearing up for the gains and disruptions autonomous vehicles (AVs) are poised to bring to the logistics sector. As this innovative technology opens up new possibilities and challenges, businesses large and small can prepare themselves for success through adaptive transportation management strategies, centralized technology, and early awareness. From enhanced data collection to soaring privacy expectations, the implications of autonomous vehicles could trigger seismic supply chain shifts—but understanding their impact can prepare organizations to avoid common obstacles and capitalize on growth opportunities.
Rapid data collection could enable faster pivots
Organizations across every industry rely on data to make good decisions, and autonomous vehicles are well-suited to provide this insight. These vehicles can use sensors, cameras, radar, and more to store massive data sets—4,000 gigabytes per day, according to Intel—faster than has ever been possible. The data can include everything from current road conditions and traffic patterns to the state of nearby transportation infrastructure. Leveraged effectively, this visibility can deliver tangible efficiencies, including faster delivery times that delight customers and lower fuel costs that delight financial departments.
For example, when a delivery AV encounters a road-congesting traffic accident along its route, it can signal via GPS to other AVs in the area to avoid the blocked route, reducing drive times. In some cases, the AV may even be able to reroute ahead of time to avoid such accidents—and delays—entirely. Either way, providers can elect to have all AV data, including routing decisions, sent back to a transportation management system (TMS) to quickly and comprehensively understand current and emerging road and traffic conditions—all to enable more effective transportation management decisions over the long run.
Agile vehicle and fleet management requires consolidated tech
With a steady stream of incoming data from GPS-connected delivery AVs, businesses can better manage their shipments from a TMS platform serving as a central source of logistics truth. From there, they can make more informed decisions around everything from minimizing idle time to improving resource allocation and operational efficiency. Most of all, platform-connected AVs help shippers deepen customer trust by giving shippers the means to better meet incoming customer demands like requests for delivery date changes or inquiries about order ETAs.
Privacy and security pressures are mounting
Data captured by autonomous vehicles can help shippers offer their customers better service. But it’s imperative that this information remains secure—especially with cybersecurity threats on the rise. According to a peer-reviewed Forbes Advisor report:
- Data breaches increased by 72% between 2021 and 2023.
- A typical data breach costs organizations $1.3 million.
- Cybercrime damage costs are expected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025.
When a firm falls victim to cybercrime, it not only compromises customer and partner data—it undermines trust in that organization. What’s more, today’s shippers have to navigate the ever-pressing challenge of complying with industry-specific data privacy laws and national regulations like the US Privacy Act and GDPR. For example, US healthcare companies shipping pharmaceuticals to patient homes via an AV must ensure—whether through automation or a monitoring associate—that protocols are in place to prevent goods containing a patient’s private information from being released to an unverified entity. In doing so, that shipper more strictly complies with healthcare information regulations like HIPAA.
Similarly, if a US shipper’s autonomous vehicle carries documents like bank statements and memos, the AV must follow shipper-established protocols for safeguarding consumers’ sensitive financial data, ensuring compliance with financial regulations like the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Implementing logistics tools like a TMS can help shippers take on these challenges. CTSI-Global’s Honeybee TMS, for instance, offers security functionalities and a document storage center to help global shippers centralize regulatory obligations, organize customer and partner information, and comply with data privacy laws.
Embrace what’s next for transportation with customized logistics technology
No matter what innovations emerge to disrupt the transportation sector, shippers can rely on ever-evolving TMS technology to meet the moment and help them stay competitive. With intuitive tools for data storage and visualization, carrier management, and regulatory compliance, CTSI-Global’s Honeybee TMS can streamline and automate your transportation operations to deliver exponential efficiencies.
Ready to evolve your transportation management approach? Contact CTSI-Global to seamlessly integrate a state-of-the-art TMS with your existing technology, protocols, and carrier network.
