The Autonomous Logistics Hub of the Future

Taking the first step into a fully autonomous logistics chain

The logistics industry is currently facing challenges from multiple sides: on the one hand, the demand for logistics is steadily increasing due to e-commerce and globalization, but on the other hand, there is a lack of skilled workers in the form of truck drivers who can handle this demand. In Europe alone, over 380,000 truck driver job postings were unfilled in 2021. This significant shortage is exacerbated by increasing labor expenses, which aggravate the cost pressure already caused by rising fuel prices. Moreover, the climate crisis calls for sustainable processes that can be carried out in a carbon-neutral and resource-conserving manner. 

Two technological leaps can help to address those challenges. The first—the electrification of trucks, driven by lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and sustainability demands—is already taking place. The subsequent leap—autonomous trucking—is expected to take off in the second half of this decade and is key to solving the massive driver shortage, increasing safety, and enabling further operational savings. 

This paper examines the autonomous logistics hub of the future, which is a critical link in enabling sustainable, autonomous trucking. This paper has been developed in close cooperation with Ansorge Logistik, an innovative German logistics service provider that performs warehouse and transport operations for major Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and industry customers by operating five logistics hubs in Germany and Italy. To present a comprehensive analysis and validation of the concepts through different angles within this paper, interviews with different technology companies and suppliers, OEMs, and hub operators have been conducted.