Vehicle logistics
'AutoLog' project sees VW test automated vehicle driving to optimise logistics at Germany’s Port of Emden
Driverless vehicles are being tested at the Port of Emden in Germany in an effort to use automation to automate and make workflows at automotive terminals more efficient. The AutoLog project, a publicly-funded initiative supported by partners VW Group Logistics, BIBA, Deutsche Telekom and Unikie, is aiming to deliver efficiency, security and environmental benefits.
VW Group Logistics ships approximately 2.4 million cars from around 40 ports, the largest port in this network being the Port of Emden, where more than 1 million vehicles are handled every year. But the handling of vehicles at its automotive terminal can require a large number of specialists to carry out the vehicle movements and shuttle transportation of drivers to the next vehicle with a driving order.
This project seeks to address a number of challenges that terminal operators in Emden are facing, including insufficient experts to handle increased shipments, limited space and growing expectations surrounding flexibility and efficiency.
The AutoLog project will run for three years and is funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) through its programme for innovative port technologies (IHATEC II).
In addition to VW Group Logistics, partners include the Bremen institute of Production and Logistics Systems (BIBA) at the University of Bremen, telecommunications firm Deutsche Telekom – which is contributing a 5G network and an edge data centre to the project – and software company Unikie, which has provided its Unikie Marshalling Solution (UMS) in the AutoLog project to enable fully-automated vehicle movements without human intervention.
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Deutsche Telekom has explained that "tests are now being carried out to validate how automated driving can help to make vehicle logistics processes better, safer and more environmentally friendly, as well as to counteract the increasing shortage of skilled workers.”
“We are proud to harness UMS technology on a larger scale in Emden, marking a new era in automotive logistics,” commented Vesa Kiviranta, Chief Business Officer of Technology Solutions at Unikie. “Together with key partners, we are addressing critical industry challenges such as driver shortages, increasing handling volumes, limited space, sustainability and growing demand to reduce operational costs, and enabling completely new types of logistical processes.”
In a recent post on social media, managing director for vehicle logistics at VW Group Logistics Peter Hörndlein described the project as “a big step into the future of vehicle logistics”, while Simon Motter, head of group logistics at VW Group remarked that automated driving opens up “huge potential” for the group, not just for vehicle logistics but also along the entire process chain.
Since taking over from Oliver Bronder in his role at VW Group, Hörndlein has strategically redesigned its European vehicle logistics network, with a focus on improving resilience through the use of multimodal transport networks.
As part of this strategy, the group announced the opening of a new strategic automotive terminal in Venice earlier this year, to serve several of its plants in southern Germany and central Europe. Hörndlein discussed this strategy in further detail as part of Automotive Logistics’ Finished Vehicle Logistics livestream in July, which is available to view on demand now.
