Trends 2018: The keys to automotive logistics

Barcelona, February 19, 2018. – The International Congresses on Automotive Logistics are a place where market analysis is heard, examination of past financial years, and possible trends to face the present and the future. Today, we bring to you an analysis of Frauke Heistermann, Non Executive Board Member, BEFESA S.A. / Board Member BVL / Technology Council federal state, Rhineland-Palatinate. Precisely, his analysis on the logistics industry applied to the automotive sector. We hope you find it interesting.

It was all about how #digitalization will change the #logistics in the #automotive industry. Thanks to the organizers from #BVL and #VDA for this inspiring conference!.My highlights: 

Tracking: 

• Dimension of tracking is enhanced: Outside the company (= transport) & inside (=intralogistics+production) / usage offline and online
• Tracking from production until the product is delivered to the shelf

Mobility

• Actually a 6 t battery would be needed to move a 40 t truck …
• Cities should invest more in new mobility concepts and ecological drives – just to improve existing old technology is not enough. 
• Dimension of electricity networks are not set up for huge amounts of electricity, they need to handle in future

Role of Logistics

• Logistics takes over more responsibility in the supply chain (e.g. in the connection of production and logistics, but also in margin areas, which are new for logistics)

Digitalization / IT / Outsourcing

• There is no clear trend on the market, if companies outsource IT and digitalization to experts (e.g. platform providers) or if they develop it by their own. The question is how long not IT companies could afford to develop their own platforms?
• Investments, which need to be taken to push digitalization in a company could be huge 

Management

• Collaboration and Interaction become more important, if you want to develop good solutions in digitalization and logistics
• Investments in new technologies require proof of value

Nice examples: 

• The vision for autonomous management: an order is organizing its own materials
• Collaborative robots are sorting empty containers
• Unloading of trucks by automized, autonomous forklifts
• Augmented reality: selflearning software detects defects in parts, at the moment the person wants to take them from the shelf at the production line and build it
• The truck is a data machine: load data, GPS data, diagnosis data, consumption data.