LOGISTICS AUTOMATION
From the Factory to your Doorstep: Autonomous Systems in Logistics
Autonomous transport systems have become an integral part of today’s logistics and are now more sought-after than ever. From on-premise AGVs to last-mile delivery, we explore some of the trends & applications enabling the recovery of supply chains today. By Katharina Grimm, Rebecca Stolte, and Julian Popp
There are tons of advantages to AGVs (Automatic Guided Vehicles): the fact that they can work around the clock, have lower error rates, higher productivity, and more importantly, they enable flexibility & resilience in supply chains, allowing factories and warehouses to resume production safely without risking the health of their employees.
A common phrase you may have heard:
“Robots are there to do the tasks that are dull, dirty, and dangerous.”
That’s why they’re especially in demand now. And not just for indoor, on-premise jobs in factories and warehouses. The appeal of autonomous transportation is spreading onto outdoor applications too. Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus, the fact that there was a growing shortage of truckers, higher costs related to human drivers, and higher safety risks were already driving demand for autonomous solutions. Couple that with the pandemic-related growth of ecommerce, food delivery, and remote work — the global need for intelligent logistics solutions is greater than ever before.
While autonomous robots are already being profitably integrated in the most diverse areas of indoor intralogistics, the use of driverless transport systems on the factory premises outside the company buildings is still a niche. Until Corona.
But this area of logistics also offers great potential. Many companies and start-ups are currently engaged in implementing innovative and automated transport solutions in order to adapt to the changing requirements and behavior of the public. The first autonomous transport solutions are already on the market. Therefore the autonomous movement of containers and trailers (e.g. driverless Einride Pods), unmanned parking in large car-parks (parking robots like Stanley robotics) as well as the driverless transport of goods (tow tractors like TractEasy) at industrial sites, logistic centers and airports is already possible.
Let’s dive into some of our favorite startup pioneers in the space:
Gestalt Robotics develops project-based modern and innovative automation solutions in the area of Industry 4.0 for factories, department stores and production lines. Here the StartUp supports the transformation to efficient and flexible systems with artificial intelligence. With regard to autonomous mobility, Gestalt Robotics realizes scalable and manufacturer-independent applications of autonomous logistics and mobile robotics, which can be integrated into the existing IT and M2M communication. Via their platform, production stations can be flexibly connected, and driverless transport systems can be orchestrated, while a safe navigation is made possible also in outdoor areas by an adapted sensor setup.
By developing and providing autonomous electric transport solutions, Einride enables sustainable, cost-effective and high performing transport logistics. The solution consists of an intelligent shipping platform and electrically powered, driverless transport vehicles — the Einride Pods. The technology enables one remote operator to take over responsibility for multiple driverless pods by monitoring and controlling them during unforeseen or complicated maneuvers. The platform provides real-time access to the cargo network and visualizes valuable information such as cargo volume, distance travelled and associated emissions. This information is needed in particular for transport control and transport optimization.
EasyMile revolutionizes passenger and goods transportation. On the basis of vehicles from recognized industrial partners, EasyMile develops autonomous mobility solutions such as the driverless and zero-emission electric tow tractor TractEasy. Equipped with LIDARS, cameras, GPS, IMU and odometry, this vehicle allows safe and reliable navigation on a previously imported map. The vehicle is used in particular for ground transport on industrial sites, logistics centers and airports in the outdoor area. Thereby the control of the vehicles and the optimisation of the transport is taken over by a fleet application and monitored in the EasyMile Control Center.
The software aiDrive, which is part of AIMotive’s product portfolio, was developed for embedded hardware platforms in the automotive sector. With its modular structure the software allows the integration in standalone as well as in best-in-class solutions. Thereby the different tasks of vehicle control are executed by five modules — the so called Perception, Fusion, Motion, Location and Control Engine. The safe navigation is enabled based on a comprehensive sensor fusion and the use of artificial intelligence. Also the security of the software is constantly advanced by continuous testing, since AiMotive has test licenses in 4 countries on 3 continents.
Using high-precision GNSS, AI and sophisticated image processing, Atlatec’s maps are characterized by high global accuracy and local consistency. Thereby Atlatec’s mapping as a service approach gives its customers full control over the objects contained in the maps. To enable real-time localization, the map data is continuously updated and made available on-demand. By matching the maps for localization with those for autonomous driving, vehicle positions can be determined even if the GNSS fails, by comparing the camera images of the vehicles with the respective map. Simulations can also be carried out. By using real-time data, autonomous systems can be tested for their complexity in a real environment.
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However, the question arises as to why the establishment of autonomous transport systems outdoors is behind schedule compared to indoors. Challenges in the development of these solutions are technical, organizational, legal and safety aspects.
Social acceptance — is the public ready?
When autonomous vehicles are used outdoors, not only is the responsibility for driving relinquished, the vehicle control system must also be able to withstand numerous external influences. Automatically the question arises as to how far this technology will be accepted for outdoor use? According to a Statista expert survey, the relevance of driverless transport systems is considered high by more than 50 % of the participants[1] and the market volume of driverless transport systems is expected to almost triple by 2025[2]. But this high relevance does not change the fact that autonomous vehicles can be involved in accidents like conventional vehicles. The difference is, that the accident is culpably caused by the driverless transport system.
Since the use of autonomous transport vehicles in outdoor areas is still in its starting blocks, there are currently no meaningful figures in this area regarding the acceptance of this technological progress. However, acceptance values for general autonomous driving can be used. According to the study by Fraederich E. and Lenz B, the safety of autonomous vehicles was rated as “high” by 29 % of the respondents, as vehicles have a higher perception due to the installation of several sensors. Furthermore, aspects such as flexibility, traffic optimization and integrative traffic participation were perceived as advantageous. In contrast, the respondents consider the social consequences resulting from autonomous driving, such as loss of jobs and especially in Germany, liability, insurance and the law, e.g. in case of accidents, to be negative points. Further critical aspects regarding the acceptance of autonomous transport vehicles are, above all, the legal modifications still necessary in the future and the possible misuse of data.[3]
Based on the analysis, it is expected that the use of autonomous transport vehicles will only become generally accepted if the safety of driving can be guaranteed and the vehicle user can overrule the autonomous function as control decision-maker.
Safety first — Security challenges
In 2018, an average of up to 145 occupational accidents per day were caused by forklift trucks, pallet trucks, etc. in Germany.[4] To prevent this from happening when using AGV in operational traffic, numerous safety regulations must be observed. When driverless transport systems are used outdoors, compliance with the safety precautions is very complex. Additionally, factors such as weather influences, changes in road surfaces and personal protection must be considered.
Weather influences like temperature changes, different lighting conditions, fog, wind or rain pose massive challenges for vehicle components, especially for the necessary and sensitive control and sensor systems. For example, it is possible that the functionality of the safety laser scanners is blocked or incorrectly triggered by precipitation. Also, the different road surface in outdoor areas is continuously altered or soiled by weather conditions. A changed braking capacity as well as a longer braking distance are the effects of reduced surface friction. This behavior can be counteracted for example by braking with all four wheels of an AGV.
The traffic situation outside is also often more complex. Traffic routes on which AGV operate can and may be used by other users such as pedestrians, cyclists or forklift drivers. However, one problem is that the laser scanners approved from the Employer’s Liability Insurance Association are — as of today — only valid for use in industrial environments with trained personnel. If several road users are on the road on company premises, it must be clarified in cooperation with the state occupational safety authorities and the responsible trade association whether additional safety precautions must be taken.
In the meantime, there are certified safety laser scanners such as the outdoorScan3 from Sick that can be used outdoors. However, non-contact personal protection is currently only implemented with 2D sensors. For this reason, many objects in outdoor areas cannot be detected and the use of machine protection sensors in combination with personal protection sensors is necessary. Although such sensor fusion places increased demands on data analysis, it is necessary to meet autonomous security standards. AIMotive has implemented this for example in its software application aiDrive.
In order to additionally ensure the safety of the driverless transport vehicles in outdoor areas, the driving speed of the AGV should be limited to 6 km/h. If this is not observed, an approval for public road traffic must be obtained for vehicles traveling at speeds above 6 km/h.
Outdoor navigation — where to go next?
In addition to safety, navigation also makes technical demands on the implementation of AGVs. Vehicle positions must be continuously determined and compared with the target route. Corrections must be derived from this and applied to acceleration, braking and steering at the correct points. There is no uniform solution in this aspect either.
According to the current state of the art, transponder, GNSS (e.g. GPS) or laser navigation can be considered for outdoor use. Due to its limited range and sensitivity to external influences, laser navigation can only be used on short driveways or routes along halls. In return, robust transponder navigation requires a solid driving surface. In this mode of navigation, vehicles must also accept low ground clearance and limited flexibility when changing course. The third option, GNSS navigation works on any surface, but requires a clear view towards the sky to be able to track down satellites. Possible restrictions may occur when vehicles move under bridges or along high walls.
In addition, it must be considered that AGVs must repeatedly travel the same routes. In order to avoid rutting and thus ensure accurate navigation, a high compressive strength of the road surface is required. But in terms of navigation, a suitable solution can be found with the technologies currently available on the market. High accuracy and local consistency are already achieved by combining different approaches. For example, Atlatec produces high-resolution maps for autonomy using high-precision GNSS, AI and sophisticated image processing. The limitations of the individual technologies must, however, be sufficiently weighed and considered during the planning stage.
From the previous sections it can be said that providers of driverless transport systems in outdoor areas face great challenges — safety, technical implementation of navigation and user acceptance. But what are the advantages of autonomous transport of logistics outdoors? If you think of airports, freight ports or large factory sites, all those areas offer great potential for the transport of goods within delimited areas. By using autonomous transport systems, this traffic could be automated, made more efficient, cheaper and — maybe the most important — safer. Transport systems can react autonomously to changing work requirements, conditions and environmental conditions using the latest technology. At the same time, the capacity of existing infrastructures can be increased while costs can be saved by an energy-saving driving style. Last but not least, higher safety is guaranteed by reading, analyzing and evaluating large amounts of data through driver assistance systems which also gives additional opportunities for process improvements.
The role of MHP
Based on numerous projects in the mobility and manufacturing sectors MHP has great expertise in the field of autonomous transport. Currently, MHP is driving progress in autonomous transport with its fleet management software FleetExecuter. This software represents an interface for the manufacturer-independent control of driverless transport systems. A flexible and scalable material supply as well as the optimization of production processes and layouts is made possible by the FleetExecuter. In the indoor area, this software is already being used to implement goods-to-man concepts for Tier 1 suppliers. By means of simulations created in advance and the use of the FleetExecuter in a modular transport concept, the number of driverless transport vehicles as well as the throughput time have been reduced based on an intelligent order control.
But the use of the software is not only limited to indoor applications! The implementation of autonomous transport systems together with an optimization of routes and order control also offers great potential outdoors too. Therefore, MHP is motivated to identify new areas of application to create new solutions for autonomous transport outdoors. Equipped with the know-how for the conception of end-2-end architectures together with the experience in process transformation and integration, it is now time to develop suitable solutions together with a strong partner network. We are ready to tackle the challenges described above — all with the aim of achieving greater efficiency, cost advantages and security through autonomous outdoor transport.
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Further exciting insights into the topic of autonomous transport as well as future logistics trends and innovations can be found in our brand new whitepaper “Logistics 4.0: Intelligent, Integrated, Autonomous”.
More details will be available soon on our MHP website. Stay tuned!
Sources:
[1] https://de.statista.com/prognosen/943349/expertenbefragung-zu-autonomen-transportsystemen-in-der-logistikbranche
[2] https://www.statista.com/statistics/882696/global-agv-market-volume/#statisticContainer
[3] Fraederich E. und Lenz B. (2017). Gesellschaftliche und individuelle Akzeptanz des autonomen Fahrens. In Maurer et al. (Hrsg.), Autonomes Fahren. Technische, rechtliche und gesellschaftliche Aspekte (S. 639–660). Berlin: Springer Vieweg
[4] https://www.eurotransport.de/artikel/145-unfaelle-mit-flurfoerderzeugen-taeglich-dguv-statistik-2018-fuenf-toedliche-unfaelle-10885177.html
