People have benefited greatly from auto shipping businesses. Car transporters have aided in the seamless transportation of cars from one location to the next. Car shipping services are becoming the most popular method of shipping a car.
Because of technology, they can deliver your car more swiftly and easily to your house. Vehicle shipping used to be exhausting due to long hours of driving. With these services, you don’t need to worry about planning and the wear and tear of your car.
You might be curious as to what developments car transporters benefited from. Here are some examples of technologies used in the car shipping industry. The article will also highlight what these technologies mean for the industry.
Technologies Used in the Car Shipping Industry
To improve their services, car transporters need to find innovative ways of shipping a car. Thankfully, advancements in technology can help them achieve this goal. There are several ways of utilizing technology in the car shipping industry. This includes taking advantage of the internet, maximizing cloud storage systems, and incorporating machine learning.
Below are some of the technologies that are influencing the industry’s future.
1. Cloud-Based Storage System
With cloud technology, the way car transporters communicate and store data has changed. It became better. Prior to cloud-based systems, they use external hardware for storing important information. However, installing it can be expensive, and maintaining it was time-consuming. As a result, this affected the delivery time of car transporters.
Fortunately, car shippers can now keep all of their information on a remote database. The cloud allows them to access information at any time as long as they have the internet. Auto transporters, for example, can access customer information from their cell phones. And, best of all, most of the databases are free, like Google Drive.
It also protects them from losing all their data in the event of a computer failure. This feature is important for auto transport companies. Because of this, they can save time, lower costs, and improve productivity.
Tracking and monitoring the movement of their trucks are also accounted for. This, together with dispatch information, helps improve the quality of their services.
2. Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things offers a wide range of opportunities for different industries. One of which includes exchanging of data within systems and devices through the internet. Auto transport companies take advantage of IoT to determine the best shipment routes. This helps reduce fuel usage and prevent stressful trips.
Aside from this, IoT will increase assisted driving capabilities. This is an important feature as they make the car transportation journey safe. Drivers of shipping trucks will get information about anything on the road. This can include blocked areas and those with heavy traffic.
What makes this happen is IoT’s communication lines. The data will assist drivers, for example, when to slow down to prevent collisions.
With IoT, it is also possible to check for the driver’s physical condition. The technology can detect symptoms of tiredness or drunkenness with seat belt sensors. And if the sensor categorizes the driver into one of these, the vehicle will be disabled.
The application of IoT in the car shipping industry is endless. Thankfully, they are constantly expanding to enhance the driving experience.
3. Trucks Made From Lightweight Materials
Nowadays, auto shipping trucks are manufactured with weight-friendly materials. This is to maximize fuel usage while maintaining the optimal performance of the truck. Reducing the weight of the truck by 10% significantly improves fuel economy by 6%-8%. That’s why manufacturers replace vehicle parts out of cast iron with lightweight materials.
Such materials include magnesium, titanium, composites, and aluminum. Generally, these materials reduce the weight of the truck. However, there are key differences between these materials. Additionally, it’s good to be aware of some disadvantages of using specific lightweight materials.
Aside from making trucks lighter, they also pave the way for eco-friendly vehicles. Heavy-duty trucks made from these materials have advanced emission control systems. Automobiles are responsible for one-fourth of greenhouse gas emissions. With these emission control systems, auto transport vehicles are made sustainable.
4. Self-Driving Trucks
The world is already at the point where self-driving cars exist. And it’s not a surprise that the shipping industry also incorporates such innovation. Thus, this technology gave birth to self-driving trucks.
Even now in their early development phase, these trucks already dominate car shipping businesses. By 2025, their market size is expected to reach $1,669 million.
These trucks do not need human drivers to function. Much like autonomous cars, both employ the same basic technology. They have sensors that send data to a computer, which then controls the truck through machine learning.
You can expect transport companies to use autonomous trucks to ship a car. They are easier to build than self-driving cars since they only need to follow a fixed route. Plus, these trucks always use the highway, which makes them easier to track.
Not only that, but trucks are more suitable for this kind of technology. They are larger in size, which means the computer can get more power.
5. Eco-Friendly Fuel
For almost a century, gasoline and diesel have been the primary fuel source for cars. This is because they are easier to acquire due to their widespread availability. However, they came from nonrenewable fossil fuels that are expected to be exhausted by 2060. Furthermore, they generate a significant amount of carbon waste, damaging the environment.
Because of this, petrol and diesel are unreliable and expensive. This is why car manufacturers are striving to incorporate alternative fuel sources.
Biodiesel from vegetable oils and animal fats is their best bet. It is environmentally beneficial and considered a sustainable fuel source. Manufacturers are also exploring hydrogen, air, nitrogen, and LPG as fuel sources. Alternatively, the heat generated by kinetic energy and steam is also a great source of fuel.
These alternatives will not run out anytime soon if they are properly maintained. They also emit minimal levels of carbon dioxide, making them safe and ecologically beneficial.
How Does the Car Shipping Industry Benefit From Technology?
Today, modern technology provides several additional benefits to many shipping industries. The car shipping industry is no different. This includes the improvement of auto transport companies’ core operations. And it makes them more efficient and dependable.
Technology has, without a doubt, altered the face of auto transport companies around the world. Here are some of the benefits that technology provides for the auto shipping industry.
1. Improves Service Quality
You, as a customer, will want to know when your car shipment will arrive. With the use of the track-and-trace feature, auto transporters can meet these demands.
New technologies not only offer real-time positioning updates, but also warnings for delays. In addition to that, they also provide accurate estimated time of arrival (ETAs). This is so that people in charge of the facilities where the car is being shipped can prepare. In return, this ensures optimum efficiency on their end.
But that’s not all there is to it
The time-series data gathered can result in considerable cost reductions over time. Companies can create a more detailed picture of where your car is and where it needs to travel. This helps auto shipping companies find the best route to ship a car.
2. Provides Additional Road Safety
An automobile accident can happen for a variety of reasons. Drunk driving, driver or third party negligence, and bad weather are some of the examples. However, most of these can be avoided. This is because human error accounts for 94%-96% of all car accidents.
With the introduction of self-driving trucks, car transporters can secure car shipping more. These trucks are programmed to only travel in their lane at a certain speed. Because of this, they minimize the number of road accidents.
These dangers are avoided with autonomous trucks. They can operate on a daily basis, which increases corporate efficiency and profitability. Aside from this, they can also plan their itineraries to avoid traveling through areas with heavy traffic.
It’s not only the technology of self-driving that helps reduce car accidents. In the event of an accident, trucks protect drivers because of lightweight materials. These materials can absorb shocks without damaging the car or the driver.
Aside from these, lightweight materials can minimize hazards associated with brakes. Since truck drivers need to exert more effort when braking, this can damage the brakes.
3. Makes Accessibility Easier for Customers
Customers can quickly and easily obtain information regarding car shipping. With the touch of a mouse, they can receive bids, compare pricing, and read customer reviews. Customers can also schedule their car shipping online without being physically present. This is extremely helpful, especially during the pandemic.
Additionally, they can communicate with their driver using mobile apps and tracking services. This is so that they can verify the status of their delivery and schedule pickup times. Because of this, the shipping process can go smoothly.
Conclusion
The rapid advancement of technology significantly influences the auto shipping industry. There are different ways that technology benefits the industry. Mostly, they help protect the cars being shipped, as well as the drivers. Not only that, but they improve data storage and communication systems.
However, car shipping companies are not the only ones who benefit from these. The industry also incorporates an efficient tracking system. Because of this, you can easily check when your car will arrive.
Indeed, technology and shipping now go hand in hand. If properly utilized, the auto shipping industry will be far more competent in the future.
