Start Ups
Harmonising the supply chain
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
Used but not confused: How battery diagnostics can help EV resales
Resales of EVs are currently complicated by lack of clarity on the health of their batteries. Austrian start-up Aviloo has developed a diagnostic tool that can be used at dealerships
Wood you believe it? Materials handling with a difference
A new company based in Chemnitz is seeking to overturn conventional wisdom when it comes to material handling equipment – by using wood as a construction material
Nio begins delivery of ES6 in China
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) start-up, Nio, has started delivering its ES6 model to users in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The vehicle, its second mass production model after the ES8, is a five-seater, long range SUV…
Steering the future using AI
German start-up Kopernikus has developed self-driving technology that can be used to move vehicles inside production facilities and workshops, and potentially even at ports…
Why all eyes are on Israel for AI
In the race to perfect autonomous driving, Israel has proven to be a hotspot of technological innovation – driven, in part, by its military expertise and surveillance tools
Smarter about spot loads
Logistics technology company Loadsmart promises to automate full truckload shipments to the benefit of both shippers and carriers
Innovation and smart tech: Why BMW is driving both
Handling 31m parts and producing almost 10,000 vehicles each day, BMW is increasingly looking to digitalisation and Industry 4.0 innovations to help it organise its logistics more flexibly…
BMW ups the pace on industry 4.0 technology
BMW Group is to expand its use of industry 4.0 innovations in its production logistics, it has revealed.
Freight expectations
Ask a range of logistics managers what their main pain points are, and you will soon hear a common theme – wasting time waiting for freight agents to get back to them. Delays occur, paperwork piles up and costs are often not clear.
Mapping for Mercedes
In June this year, Mercedes-Benz US International (MBUSI) announced the outcome of its inaugural Innovation Challenge, a competition for start-ups which promised $50,000 in prize money as well as the alluring prospect of a contract with Mercedes-Benz in the US, and perhaps also its global parent, Daimler AG.
Twinning talent with technology
The rate at which emerging digital technologies are transforming the automotive logistics supply chain is hard to keep up with. As both an enabler of everything from platform design to procurement, finance and planning, and a disruptor of traditional supply chain operations, digital technology associated with industry 4.0 is driving ...
Keeping up with the pace of change
The automotive industry used to be thought of as slow moving. Until fairly recently, it was not much of a stretch to say that the motor car, for all its improvements in safety and technology, had not fundamentally changed in a century. Vintage car owners could easily point to hundreds ...
Making sense from the noise for the future of logistics
Convergence between the automotive and high-tech sectors isn’t a theory or prediction any more. Vehicles are as connected as smartphones, programmed with millions more lines of code than any computer, and increasingly powered by the same electric components and batteries – just on a much larger scale.
Volvo Cars: Leaning towards greater stability
Since Geely Holdings acquired it from Ford Motor Company in 2010, Volvo Cars has been reinventing itself, from product development through to its industrial base and supply chain. Today, with a refreshed model line-up and amidst several new launches, sales have grown to record levels, with further expansion still to ...
Kuehne + Nagel joins Temasek to invest in technology start-ups
Global logistics services provider Kuehne + Nagel (KN) has signed an agreement with Singapore’s state-owned investment company, Temasek, to establish a joint venture to invest worldwide in start-ups developing cutting-edge technology for logistics and supply chains.
China leads the car-sharing market, despite the challenges
The Chinese government is using car-sharing – short-term car rental, usually charged by the hour – to stimulate the new energy vehicle (NEV) market and increase individual mobility efficiency. In June 2017, the central government released draft guidance for the car-sharing industry, outlining some supporting policies. The guidance specified certain ...
Getting better with age
It has been an incredible journey over these last 20 years working on Automotive Logistics, expanding both our publications and our conferences around the world.
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BMW i Ventures and Penske invest in flexible car ownership app
Investors including BMW i Ventures and Penske Automotive Group have participated in a funding round for the flexible car ownership mobile app, Fair, which attracted nearly $1 billion in offers from investors.
Production & logistics part 4: Logistics organisations and skills
How has your company’s supply chain and logistics management organisation changed over the past 20 years?
