According to Deloitte, 80% of T&L organizations leverage or plan to leverage robotics to automate repetitive tasks.6 Housing developer Hillwood recently tested mobility solutions, like automated freight, in its Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ) in Alliance, Texas. They found that logistics automation can help companies address driver shortages in the U.S. (over 60,000 in 2018 and expected to grow to 160,000 by 2028).7 Driver-related expenses are the highest cost for trucking companies and account for approximately 28–50% of revenue.8
Automation will also generate new revenue growth opportunities for T&L by allowing employees to shift away from manual tasks, placing the focus on reskilling and upskilling workers with industry expertise. 5G can enable immersive on-the-job training, with gamified, structured learning through connected devices using Augmented or Virtual Reality (AR/VR) transportation technology. This allows drivers, operators, and workers to learn at their own pace and according to their own schedules—wherever they are. Additionally, automation can power exciting new solutions, like remote maintenance, which helps transportation companies keep their fleets operational and on the road via monitoring systems and intelligence tools.
Over time, large-scale logistics automation will increasingly protect drivers and handle the transfer of goods and products. Connected and automated vehicles could save 4,000 lives, prevent 210,000 accidents, and save the industry $3.6 billion in collision costs every year.9
6. A Powerful Foundation for Future Innovation
The future of T&L will rely on 5G’s ultra-low latency and seamless connections between networks, devices, and environments to exchange data. Today, 5G surpasses 4G performance in terms of bandwidth, and network expansion will provide access to new levels of speed and reliability to support new use cases.