How IoT is making Transportation smarter?

The transportation industry is the second-largest vertical which has spent approx. $78 billion from 2016 in Internet of Things (IoT). Smart devices are playing a very crucial role in making the work smarter and efficient, thus carrying out operations in the trucking industry very precisely.

IoT has made everything into reality like from effective road safety issues to the monitoring of the systems in fleet management to make the trucking industrial operations more effective. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is used not only in road transportation but also in rail, water,and air transport. The integrated intelligent system is capable of consuming a large amount of data and thereby produces useful information. This efficient information gives an optimized way to the traveler to reach their destination. The European Telecommunication Standards Institute states that intelligent transport systems include telematics and all types of communication between vehicles, in vehicles and between vehicles and fixed locations.

With the uninterrupted connectivity realized by trusted cellular/satellite networks, people are getting rapidlyconnected than ever because of accessibility to real-time updates. IoT in Transportation is a fusion of this large amount of data gathered from multiple sources. One of the recent studies by McKinsey Global Institute stated that automotive industry will be the second largest producer of data in the coming years and if we combine travel and logistics with automotive then the output for the same grow by an additional 30%.

Let’s see how the seamless connectivity powered by IoT revolutionize the transportation operations:

1. Advance Alerts and Real-Time Tracking:

Smart Transportation System alerts the fleet managers about any misshapes in the operation such as unusual driver behavior, overloaded truck, goods contamination etc.Not only the trucking business, with the help of IoT, improved parking management system has come up into reality. To reduce the operating and maintenance expenses, an option of smart multi-level parking system has been introduced. IoT sensors henceforth increased efficiency, safety,and comfort in driving and parking.

2. Optimal Route Management:

Smart transportation on the basis of the real-time conditions helps in selecting the optimal route.The GPS enabled system powered by IoT connectivity increases the reliability of the public transportation. Understanding the pros and cons of the public transportation, IoT offers feasible transport management system that has multiple benefits such as route optimization. where there is a traffic jam, you can look for an alternate route.

3. Reducing Infrastructure Damage:

As we know that overloaded vehicles put a lot of strain on the road network, a proper check of the weight was the most important factor. With the help of Internet of things in Transportation, one can measure the size, weight,and type of vehicles and hence send the data back to the central server. The overloaded vehicles can be identified very prior and damage to roads and other infrastructure can be reduced. The real-time tracking and alerts well before time have made smarttransportation an optimized way to increase the efficiency of the transportation industry.

4. Geofencing:

IoT, when combined with Geofencing, saves your time and money. The power of geofencing is such that it enables to set the boundaries around and hence gives the alerts when those boundaries are crossed. It is the future, not just of transportation but also for our personal lives as well. Whether you are monitoring vehicles, sensors, pumps or tanks, geofencing alerts you when anything is inside or outside of your custom geofence zone. With geofencing, one can also manage payroll and time and track driver’s working hours.

5. Effective Inventory Handling:

Internet of Things acts as a catalyst in providing real-time information across the production, distribution and warehouse center for reducing the cost of inventory. The depth and quality of data from IoT sensors and smart systems have made the inventory management system more strong. Not only this, supply chains can integrate a large amount of data and a deep insight into that data helps in attaining new revenue streams, hence optimizing the supply chains. From the recent studies it was known that IoT’s potential contribution to Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Inventory Management could reach between $560-$850 per year by 2025. With the help of IoT, operations within the warehouse are getting speed up.

WRAP UP:

With Internet of Things, you can deliver safer and engaging customer experiences while opening a wide range of new business models. With new and advanced capabilities like driver assistance, geofencing and predictive maintenance, your business can propel in vehicle management and connected vehicles like never before.

As a lot has been explored and known about implementation of IoT in Transportation, it is sufficient to say that IoT enabled fleets will become intelligent robots on 18 wheels. The Industrial IoT technology is rapidly advancing such that investing in it does not become a challenge. The insight data analysis have been quickly advanced even for smaller fleets. Such technologies have helped the organizations to cut down their operation cost, thereby making more profits for the industry. It is a great boon for smaller businesses as it has greatly accelerated the pace of the industries.

Written in collaboration with Sanjeev.

Sanjeev is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Biz4Intellia, responsible for leading Biz4Intellia’s global business strategy and operations. Being an Internet of Things (IoT) enthusiastic from the beginning of its professional career, Sanjeev loves to read and write blog/articles related to the disruptive technologies that are trending especially.