…can robots aid warehouse workers and self-driving trucks provide long-haul freight transit, but automation can also benefit logistics yards. Outrider Technologies Inc. this month announced the release of its next-generation autonomy kit for yard automation. The kit supports over-the-air software updates and field-swappable units to deliver enterprise-class reliability, enable remote technical support, and efficiently service the system in the field – all at scale, said the company. “Distribution yards are harsh industrial environments with around-the-clock operations, which means our autonomous…
Outrider Inc., a provider of autonomous yard trucks for logistics hubs, today said it is the first company to offer advanced, automated tractor-trailer hitching capabilities. This patent-pending technology is now available as part of the Outrider System, which automates distribution yards for large enterprises. More than 10 billion tons of freight moves across the U.S. annually, and most of that freight passes through distribution yards in trailers, said the Golden, Colo.-based company. “Nearly all the food we eat, the clothes…
Improving the Yard Management Process There are over 100,000 warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing plants in the U.S. alone. With nearly 4 million retail stores and eCommerce websites to support, their supply chain and logistics processes must be as efficient as possible. 5.5 million trailers make 500 million shipments (facility to facility or facility to store) every single year all over the country. These shipments average over 200 miles each, taking up countless hours and funds. However, 80% of that…
…drivers in the midst of a significant truck driver shortage and leveraging the capabilities of modern technology, these companies are leading a charge that one day could give autonomous vehicles a real presence on the world’s highways and byways. Those vehicles won’t be limited to passenger automobiles. Also making their way into the autonomous realm are trucks, buses, and yard and shuttle trucks. In my opinion, these autonomous vehicles which operate in controlled environments, such as ports, manufacturing plants, and…
Embark Trucks Inc., which is developing autonomous technology for the trucking industry, last week announced that it has partnered with Ryder System Inc. The companies plan to launch a nationwide network of up to 100 Embark transfer points, where Ryder will provide yard operations, maintenance, and fleet management to support a seamless coast-to-coast autonomous network for Embark fleet partners. “A fully developed transfer point has to include autonomous truck maintenance services and efficient yard operations,” said Alex Rodrigues, CEO of…
…with funding flowing to developers of autonomous trucks. Robotic Research OpCo LLC today announced that it has raised $228 million in Series A funding. The Clarksburg, Md.-based company said it will use its first outside capital to drive further innovation and expand its RR.AI division, which is focused on commercializing autonomous driving systems for commercial truck, bus, drayage, and logistics vehicles. “This investment reflects our success in developing autonomous solutions for our U.S. government customers, and [it] will provide the…
…have been entering facilities for several years, yard trucks are just beginning to benefit from investments in autonomous vehicles. Founded in 2017, ISEE was developed on AI research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The startup asserted that its AI can anticipate unexpected behaviors better than any other system on the market. ISEE said its system provides flexible autonomy so machines can understand human decision making and deliver the versatility needed to automate operations seamlessly. It works alongside human distribution…
Because lift trucks were not historically known for their brains, mobile computer terminals have been used to bring warehouse intelligence to the operator. Lately, as lift trucks become more connected and computerized, they are changing the patterns of how and where data moves through a facility, its devices and its equipment. There is massive potential for operational improvements from connecting telematics, warehouse execution, labor management and more. But, if you imagine each thread of communication as a string, many operations…
…making these trips quicker and more efficient. Truck freight: Trucks offer superior flexibility due to their ability to pick up and drop off freight at individual locations. However, they are limited in terms of their speed, particularly in high-density urban locations. Trucks are also hampered in remote areas where road infrastructure is weak or nonexistent, e.g. in emerging markets. Drones can provide dramatically faster solutions in both markets. In addition, drones could eliminate the need to pay employees to load…
…of North America's freight travels by tractor-trailer truck on highways, but the addition of autonomy, modularity, and electrification to locomotives could give the older transportation mode new life. Parallel Systems last week came out of stealth and announced that it has raised $49.55 million in its Series A round. The Culver City, Calif.-based startup said it plans to use the funding to build a fleet of rail vehicles, conduct testing, and grow its team. “We founded Parallel to allow railroads…
…also noted that “PINC, a provider of yard management systems, has deployed a solution that utilizes drones to identify the location of trailers, shipping containers, and other assets in hard to reach areas. Equipped to carry GPS, RFID, OCR, and barcode readers, the drones can fly overhead to quickly locate and identify assets that have been tagged in a yard or port.” So, what is the state of drones in the supply chain today, nearly five years after the Bezos’…
Driverless Cars and Trucks Forget what the experts and technogeeks are predicting for the era of driverless cars and trucks. What are the oddsmakers saying? Actually, Las Vegas is quite bullish on the prospect of driverless vehicles. In fact, Jim Murphy, an oddsmaking consultant for sports and non-sport novelty bets focused on the entertainment business, politics, technology and financial markets, is predicting that 21 million autonomous cars will be sold within the next 15 years. “Autonomous cars - better known…
Hanover Research found that nearly three-quarters of chief supply chain officers say...
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