For a delivery truck making rounds, minor tweaks in a route can save huge amounts of time and gas. That’s why UPS spent a decade and hundreds of millions of dollars building an algorithm to help calculate where trucks should turn. A startup called Routific designed an algorithm to help everyone else—like local flower delivery companies—also save fuel.
UPS (NYSE: UPS) has been named to the 2016 CIO 100 listing for the successful launch and integration of the UPS® Near Real-Time Service Performance Reporting tool (NRT) – marking the tenth time the company has been honored at the annual IDG CIO 100 Awards. The annual listing to recognize technology innovation is selected by the CIO editorial team, working with more than three dozen judges including industry experts, academics and former CIOs.
Baird analyst Benjamin Hartford says all leading trucking companies are experimenting with autonomous truck technology.
“UPS would be the most logical. I know they have looked at the possibility,” Hartford told IBD.
UPS already employs driver-assistance systems on many trucks, but says full autonomy is further off, with regulation being a key issue.
Truck drivers are in short supply now, and self-driving trucks would fill that gap. But if large numbers of self-driving trucks roll out — with no human in the cab — Teamsters and other unions would likely resist.
- UPS launches service improvements in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin to support Chinese exporters’ expansion to global markets
- China’s export manufacturing sector and economy face growing headwinds since 2014
- Export manufacturers learn from Made in China 2.0™ Leaders, who have experienced significant improved business performance
- Global trade drives new lanes in seven additional countries
- Mexico to U.S. trade lane moves from fifth to second most used
- Customers using service grow 5-18 times faster than peers