IoT to play pivotal role

The Internet of Things (IoT) will play a pivotal role in enabling the transport and logistics sector to reduce its carbon footprint and minimise any negative impact on the environment.

This is according to research from Inmarsat, a leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, which found that 95% of companies in the sector are actively implementing IoT technologies to improve their environmental sustainability.

The research conducted by Vanson Bourne for ‘The Future of IoT in Enterprise’ report collected responses from 100 large global transportation companies and found that 44% of companies are prioritising environmental monitoring as a key area for IoT deployment. Moreover, 15% stated that they had increased their environmental sustainability as a direct result of their IoT deployments, and a further 65% expected to do so in future, highlighting the effectiveness of the technology in this area.

Mike Holdsworth, director of transport at Inmarsat Enterprise, said, ‘The International Transport Forum estimates that heightening travel demands could see global CO2 emissions from transport increase by 60% by 2050, a figure that is based on the assumption of significant progress with the adoption of greener technologies. Without such progress, that figure is expected to be considerably higher. The transport industry needs to get smarter if the sector is to successfully accommodate these changes and limit its impact on the environment, and it is clear that many are putting their hopes in IoT to help them achieve that.

‘IoT could have an immediate and considerable impact on the emissions of logistics companies today. For example, CO2 emissions can be exacerbated by faulty equipment, engine damage and poor route planning but IoT can address these issues by utilising smart telematics devices, diagnostic sensors and accelerometers to gather engine status data and automatically notify fleet managers with instant alerts of damage or faults. This information can be used to limit engine wear-and-tear and increase average miles-per-gallon (MPG), indirectly reducing overall emissions and minimising wastage by extending the lifespan of each vehicle.’

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