In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, creating a digital supply chain is essential for staying competitive and meeting customer demands. With the help of technology, companies can optimize their operations, reduce costs, and increase efficiency by connecting and collaborating with key partners along the supply chain.

Here are some of the reasons why creating a digital supply chain with key partners is crucial:

Improved visibility and transparency: A digital supply chain provides real-time visibility into the status of orders, inventory levels, and shipment tracking. This enables companies to make better-informed decisions, anticipate potential disruptions, and improve customer service.

Enhanced collaboration and communication: A digital supply chain allows for seamless communication and collaboration between partners, enabling them to share information and coordinate activities more effectively. This results in faster response times, reduced lead times, and improved supply chain agility.

Increased efficiency and productivity: By automating manual processes and leveraging technology, companies can optimize their operations and reduce costs. This allows them to focus on core activities such as innovation and customer service.

Greater resilience and risk management: A digital supply chain enables companies to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities and take proactive measures to mitigate them. This helps to ensure continuity of operations and minimize disruptions.

Competitive advantage: By creating a digital supply chain with key partners, companies can differentiate themselves from competitors, improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive growth and profitability.

In conclusion, creating a digital supply chain with key partners is critical for companies that want to stay competitive and thrive in today's fast-paced business environment. By leveraging technology to optimize operations, enhance collaboration, and mitigate risks, companies can achieve greater efficiency, productivity, and resilience, and ultimately achieve long-term success.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to revolutionize transportation, including the trucking industry. Here are some ways in which AV trucks could improve transportation:

Increased safety: AV trucks could reduce accidents caused by driver error, fatigue, or distraction, which account for a significant portion of trucking accidents. With advanced sensors and AI technology, AV trucks can analyze traffic patterns and road conditions in real-time, making proactive decisions to avoid potential accidents.

Reduced costs: AV trucks could reduce transportation costs by eliminating the need for a human driver and reducing the number of accidents and associated costs such as insurance, maintenance, and downtime. In addition, AV trucks could potentially operate around the clock, reducing idle time and increasing efficiency.

Improved efficiency: AV trucks could optimize routes and reduce congestion by communicating with other vehicles and infrastructure systems, leading to reduced travel times and fuel consumption.

Increased capacity: The use of AV trucks will greatly improve truck continuous flow. Unlike human drivers who require rest breaks and have limited working hours, autonomous trucks can operate continuously, maximizing productivity. They can operate 24/7, eliminating the need for mandated rest periods and reducing idle time. This allows for more efficient use of existing infrastructure and increased transportation capacity.

The AV industry landscape is changing quickly with providerss exiting, acquisitions and deceleration of tech focus particularly at companies such as Waymo, TuSimple, Embark, and Locomation.

Aurora, Kodiak, and Torq are aggressively ramping towards implementing and executing AV lanes in the ‘sunbelt”. Kodiak and Aurora have announced plans to have the driver out in the latter part of 2024, with noted lanes executing in 2025. Furthermore, Aurora has announced that they are nearing the conclusion of the necessary tech needs to establish a viable safety case.

Kodiak announced a key partnership with Loadsmith as a Capacity as a Service provider reserving 800 units.

As the market continues to evolve, and the need to become more nimble and responsive transportation service providers, I highly recommend that carriers start to incorporate AV’s into their 2024 and beyond strategies. The understanding of the technology and how it can impact your operations are key for future success.

In addition, engaging with AV technology providers will allow a better understanding of the hurdles facing the adoption and implementation including regulatory and legal obstacles, cybersecurity concerns, and public perception and acceptance. AV trucks will also require significant investment in infrastructure and technology, including sensors, mapping systems, and connectivity.

The notable response from many carriers is a concern of driver impacts, and change management that is necessary to get the messaging properly communicated with the understanding that AV tech will not replace the driver job, but simply augment the gap that exists in driver shortages today.

In conclusion, AV trucks have the potential to significantly improve transportation by increasing safety, reducing costs, improving efficiency, and increasing capacity. However, the full realization of these benefits will require overcoming significant challenges and addressing key technological, regulatory, and societal issues. Fully understanding how the technology fits into the asset needs and capabilities lends to a perfect time to get ahead of the curve.