Optimised loads just a snap away

Did you know that you can verify whether or not your load capacity is optimised, simply by snapping a pic on your smartphone? A new artificial intelligence (AI)-based solution from Continental has made this a reality.

Continental, which has been developing technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility since 1871, has developed an AI-based solution for calculating the available cargo space in trucks, semitrailers, and trailers.

The solution can provide fleet managers with precise digital information – via a smartphone – on how much more cargo can still be loaded. In combination with either the corresponding weight data from an intelligent tachograph (a machine that records speed, distance travelled, and stopping periods) or the fleet management system interface, dispatch can also be optimised. A prime example of this is to offer any remaining capacity on digital freight exchanges, enabling more routes to be run at full capacity.

“The logistics industry is currently facing major challenges. More and more freight has to be transported with fewer and fewer drivers,” says Dr Ismail Dagli, head of the smart mobility business area at Continental. “Our solution supports fleet managers in optimally utilising their transport capacities to make their fleets more efficient. On top of this, it also saves fuel and reduces carbon emissions, actively contributing to greater sustainability in logistics.”

Continental has also recently introduced a plug-and-play tachograph. The VDO Link, as it is named, allows data including driving times and rest periods to be retrieved and processed remotely in real-time, without the need for permanently installed telematics modules in the vehicle.

“In particular, smaller fleets haven’t been able to make the most of their tachograph data, because their vehicles have often lacked the necessary telematics infrastructure,” explains Marcello Lucarelli, head of the commercial vehicle solutions business segment at Continental.

“Data from the tachograph nowadays gives the opportunity to automate processes, simplify tasks, and even achieve productivity gains,” continues Lucarelli. After plug-and-play installation and successful registration on the VDO fleet website, VDO Link sends the data it has collected on vehicles and drivers in real-time to Continental’s secure cloud backend, using a secure mobile connection.

Fleet efficiency: a major challenge

Journeys in which the cargo space is not fully utilised are not uncommon in the freight transport world. Unfortunately, often even completely unloaded journeys take place. According to official freight transport statistics collected annually by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority, commercial vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes made more than 150 million empty trips in Germany in 2020 – even before including any underutilised loads.

Fleet managers can counteract these shortcomings by actively seeking additional freight orders to improve vehicle utilisation. To do this, however, they need the relevant data indicating the vehicle’s current position, loaded weight, and remaining available cargo space, the latter of which is provided – once again in real-time – by Continental’s new solution.

How does the AI-based solution work?

Drivers and fleet managers are able to estimate free cargo space in a matter of seconds. After securing the load, the driver simply takes a photo of the cargo area with a standard smartphone. This image is then uploaded to the Continental cloud, where the actual “thinking” takes place – or, in other words, the calculation of the available cargo space by the AI algorithm developed by Continental. Drivers can also use their smartphones to manually edit the information or to add any additional information before they upload it to the secure cloud.

From this point on, the data can be forwarded to the dispatch software. Good connectivity permitting, this process only takes a few seconds. Fleet managers can then optimally coordinate additional loads using the data on the available loading weight, which they receive from the intelligent tachograph or via classic telematics software from the fleet management system interface.

“This means that the dispatcher now has precise and reliable load data in their system – data that is not simply based on an estimate. The load capacity can then be offered on freight markets or can be internally distributed, especially in the case of larger fleets,” expands Jörg Lützner, head of Continental’s smart mobility innovation management business area. “Technologically, the AI we use is based on the years of experience we have gained in many driver assistance and autonomous driving projects,” he adds.

The prototype has already delivered excellent results during the development phase, which ran for approximately two years, and the team is now looking forward to receiving even more real-life data. “That’s the advantage of being able to use artificial intelligence,” says Lützner. “It learns every time we use it, which means it is always improving.”