Recent developments in urban freight analytics for collaborative city logistics
Eiichi Taniguchi, Russell G. Thompson, Ali Gul Qureshi
Abstract
This paper presents recent developments in urban freight analytics for collaborative city logistics. City logistics provides innovative solutions using emerging technologies such as Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), Internet of Things (IoT), big data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), autonomous vehicles and robots. Sharing data between public and private entities is important for modelling, planning and evaluating policy measures related to city logistics. Mathematical models such as multi-agent models can replicate the behaviour of stakeholders in city logistics to help make a better decision considering logistics costs, the environment and energy consumption. Autonomous robots and drones can be used for urban deliveries to minimise the risk of infections during the pandemic. Hyperconnected city logistics combines the concepts of the Physical Internet and city logistics to create more sustainable urban distribution systems by promoting more collaborative, integrated and open networks. Digital twins aim to provide a virtual system for replicating physical systems and their processes that allow the dynamic status of the environment and physical elements in the real world to be updated using various sources of information. Warehouse sharing systems are logistics platforms where the available capacity of warehouses can be matched with the shippers/factories looking to temporarily store their goods before further distribution.