All articles by Abigail Williams

  • Nissan_Leaf_battery01
    Feature

    The rules of the battery game

    2020-01-14T13:10:00Z

    Logistics providers charged with the transport of lithium-ion batteries to the assembly lines and services centres have some very complex regulatory standards to which they have to adhere – it is a legislative jungle out there

  • United Road Height Stick
    Feature

    Running short: US trucking sector battles driver deficit

    2019-12-19T16:39:00Z

    Car transporters across the US are feeling the effects of a significant shortage of drivers across the finished vehicle logistics sector – and are searching for the best solutions to tackle the continuing difficulties it poses to operations…

  • TuSimple Self-Drving Truck 6
    Feature

    Oh so simple? US start-up confident of delivering autonomous trucks

    2019-10-28T12:30:00Z

    As the global logistics industry continues moving towards the introduction and use of autonomous vehicles, a growing number of companies are competing for a slice of this burgeoning market. One such firm is Californian start-up TuSimple, which is developing a range of innovative self-driving truck technologies.

  • nigel-tadyanehondo-239555-unsplash
    News

    Harmonising the supply chain

    2019-09-17T16:01:00Z

    As supply chains grow more complex, automotive companies need a reliable way to keep track of parts movements and alert them to any delays. Andrew Williams investigates a ‘visibility platform’ from German start-up Synfioo

  • VR, Seat
    Feature

    Logistics 4.0: how smart technologies are lifting logistics to another level

    2019-07-04T11:12:00Z

    After a period of exploration, OEMs, tier suppliers and logistics providers are getting serious about making their operations smarter and more connected – Logistics 4.0 is here

  • Ubimax PICL1201
    Feature

    Reality check: How AR can improve efficiency in logistics

    2019-04-15T16:58:00Z

    A growing number of companies in the automotive industry are embracing the use of augmented and virtual reality technology for tasks such as part picking and inventory management, as well as for training. We look at some of the latest applications

  • P90301513_highRes_bmw-s-first-uk-urban feature
    Feature

    Dealing with change

    2019-01-03T17:16:00Z

    In recent years, a number of shifts in the industry have begun to affect traditional dealership models, changing the types of relationships that exist between dealers, OEMs and customers. As OEMs move increasingly towards selling more vehicles directly to customers, there are growing indications of significant impacts for traditional dealers. ...

  • BertBong2
    Feature

    Chugging or changing?

    2018-11-19T11:50:18Z

    Demand for rail transport is growing faster than service providers can keep up with, according to Siegfried Jung, head of planning and steering vehicle dispatch and transport at BMW Group.[related_topics align="right" border="yes"]Jung says that increased demand for rail transport, from both public and industrial sectors, currently exceeds capacity. Rail infrastructure ...

  • iStock-528423746
    Feature

    Driving intelligent dispatch

    2018-06-28T11:58:37Z

    After winning a European Startup Prize for Mobility earlier this year, there are growing signs that Hamburg-based Cargonexx is on its way to creating what may be the largest digital transport network in Europe.The German company was set up in 2016 with the explicit mission of improving truck utilisation via ...

  • DropCar - B2B copy
    Feature

    About ready to drop

    2018-05-17T11:49:42Z

    DropCar’s mission is to “make driving fun again”, says Spencer Richardson, co-founder and CEO of the US-based start-up, which launched in New York City in 2015. The company decided to begin by offering an app-based service for car owners who live in urban areas where parking, car maintenance and even ...

  • 2017-Chevrolet-BoltEV-016
    Feature

    The ethics of sourcing for electrics

    2018-04-27T11:11:38Z

    As the march towards mass-market take-up of electric vehicles continues, there is a growing focus on the sustainability of the raw materials used in the EV and battery supply chain, such as copper, nickel, cobalt and lithium. Generally speaking, the social and environmental impacts of raw material production will depend ...

  • Volvo Daqing train
    Feature

    Outbound TMS: The search for a system that can't be beat

    2018-01-29T17:02:50Z

    In recent years, growing computer power, advanced software and algorithms for logistics planning have led to a rise in the use of the transport management system (TMS), which enables companies, among other things, to receive, plan, monitor and report on collections and deliveries. Some manufacturers and logistics providers have implemented ...

  • shutterstock_248134024
    Feature

    Drone technology: Getting ready to take off?

    2018-01-08T14:57:26Z

    As global giants like Amazon continue to assess the viability of using unmanned aerial vehicles for deliveries, companies around the world are becoming ever more interested in the potential of drones. Aside from making consumer deliveries, drone technology has already emerged as an active area of research and development in ...

  • Antwerp Euro Terminal - Port of Antwerp
    Feature

    Moving with market currents

    2017-11-24T11:06:03Z

    Growing sales prompt rising shipmentsThe first half of 2017 has seen a partial recovery in deep-sea shipments of new light vehicles. Management consultancy Maritime Strategies International (MSI) estimates that global shipments will be up around 3% during the first half of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016.According to ...

  • Achim Glass
    Feature

    Plugged in for progress

    2017-10-31T16:11:00Z

    Evolution of CCS charging technology for e-cars towards 350 kW" width="500" height="500">The last two decades have seen the emergence of the alternative propulsion vehicle market from almost nothing. According to PwC Autofacts data, sales in 1997 across all hybrid and electric vehicles numbered about 6,000 vehicles. This year, the ...

  • Ben Stanley
    Feature

    Outbound deliveries: Blocking in the truth

    2017-08-01T15:00:51Z

    Will bitcoin prove to be one of the most valuable innovations in changing the finished vehicle supply chain? If so, it is not because carmakers and logistics providers are moving their contracts from dollars, euros or yuan to the virtual currency (although given its recent escalation in value, some may ...

  • evo_loading_plane_2016
    Feature

    Project cargo: Achieving mission impossible

    2017-07-14T17:22:25Z

    Project cargo logistics is a term that covers a wide range of activities, from the movement of unusually large or heavy loads to the management of time-critical ones. In basic terms, it can be defined as the coordination, planning and management of particularly challenging logistics projects.In the automotive sector, examples ...

  • IMG_1661
    Feature

    Plant yards & systems: Allowing space to grow

    2017-05-18T17:05:59Z

    The effective management of plant yards is an important component of finished vehicle supply chains because of the constant flow and high volume of products such manufacturing plants typically handle. As a number of OEMs re-examine the balance between in-house labour and outsourced providers, many have begun to devote more ...

  • 05_Autonomous tugger trains Dingolfing
    Feature

    Materials handling: Machines on the move

    2017-05-08T16:08:36Z

    [in_this_story align="right" border="yes"] Advances in automated technology and robotics have already transformed many aspects of automotive manufacturing, with the sector taking a lead in plant technology and automation investment, from stamping equipment to precision welding robots. In the context of increasing digitalisation, manufacturers are looking to go much further, ...

  • coming hail storm
    Feature

    Hail damage: Make do and mend or shelter from the storm?

    2017-01-04T11:20:17Z

    Hail poses obvious risks for finished vehicles left out unprotected but there are various steps that can be taken to address the problem – some of them based on prevention and others based on cureThe risk of hail damage when storing or moving vehicles out in the elements can be ...