Why the future of transport is connected

By Tim Staley, Chief Operating Officer and Transport and Logistics Lead, NCS Australia

As transport demand returns to pre-COVID levels, transport and infrastructure owners and operators are turning to technology to help keep our country moving safely and efficiently. Sectors such as mining are already turning to connectivity combined with cloud computing and data analytics to improve safety and efficiency. We see land transport systems undergoing a similar transformation, propelled, in particular, by 5G technology.

The latest report by NCS Australia highlights the rise of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) as one of the five trends driving change in the Australian transport and logistics industry.

Rise of connected vehicles

Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAV’s) are vehicles that are equipped with communication technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data and have the ability to respond autonomously in certain situations. In Australia, many CAVs are already in use across the road network with varying degrees of automation such as lane keeping, adaptive cruise control and park assist.

One of the most significant benefits of connected vehicles is the potential for reducing accidents. Drivers can receive alerts and warnings about potential hazards on the road ahead, as well as early detection of fatigue. Connected vehicles can also alert other vehicles on the road about their position and speed, reducing the likelihood of collisions. Several CAV strategies and pilots are underway at Federal and State levels to understand the impact of increasing automation, especially when operating in a hybrid model as we do now; and over time we see these scaling up and having significant safety, performance, and efficiency benefits across the country.

The emergence of 5G

The increasing prevalence of 5G promises to deliver higher speed, density, and availability at ultra-low latency. This enables near real-time streaming, processing, and optimisation controls for a vast number of IOT (Internet of Things) devices being progressively built into transport vehicles and infrastructure.

One major use case for this would be autonomous driving. With the low latency of 5G networks, the safety of autonomous vehicles can be enhanced with road hazard and accident-avoidance systems capable of triggering an automated response in close to real-time.

5G also paves the way for improved facilities and service innovation such as connected buses and bus stops, in-vehicle infotainment and shopping, detection of illegal parking, and real-time discovery of parking availability.

Connected infrastructure

Another area that connectivity is driving change is Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). This is where Vehicle-to-Everything technology connects transport vehicles with infrastructure operators to alleviate congestion, improve safety, and traffic conditions.

Australia is at the forefront of this trend across a range of areas including traffic management, smarter motorways, capacity management and routing, and interactive rail signaling.

For example, traffic lights, road signs, and parking meters are becoming increasingly connected and ‘smart.’ This is helping transport agencies and local governments to collect and analyse data to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.

Adoption of connected services

Another major trend being driven by connectivity is the adoption of micromobility (scooters, bikes), ridesharing and car-sharing services that are enabled by technology and come under the term Mobility as a service (MaaS).

These connected services are helping to open choice for people, helping them get from A to B in a way that suits them. It can also help people who may not have access to a car or public transportation. For example, ride-sharing services can provide affordable transportation to people living in areas without public transport.

Environmental benefits

Growing demand from customers and the government for sustainable solutions has led to an increase in environmentally friendly practices in the logistics and supply chain sector. We are seeing organisations increasingly prioritising Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices, and often turning to technology to help them walk the talk: from emissions reporting systems to more efficient journey planning. And it’s connectivity that is enabling much of this.

These innovations can enable seamless communication between vehicles, infrastructure, and services, enhancing safety, efficiency, and accessibility. In terms of connectivity the challenge for many organisations is often around managing the exponential increase in data volume: how to gather it, manage it and make best use of it. As we move towards a more connected world, it will be essential that transport organisations channel their resources towards advancing the development of their data capabilities to ensure a more sustainable future for all.

To view the report visitncs.co/en-au/ knowledge-centre/the-key-trends-drivingthe-Australian-transport-and-logisticsmarket-today