New South Wales is set to help reshape the future of freight in the state through new machine learning camera technology.
This world-first camera technology will allow the transport department to count and classify freight movement. The goal is to reduce congestion, improve road safety, and assist in more efficient deliveries. The cameras will also be used to ensure that heavy-duty vehicles are on the correct routes.
Solar-powered technology for freight
These artificial intelligent (AI) enabled cameras were designed and built in Australia. The camera takes a photograph of a heavy-duty vehicle. It is then classified by vehicle type cargo being transported. The department hopes that this information will help with long-term planning for the transport of goods in NSW.
The cameras will be installed at the following locations:
- Sheahan Bridge (northbound only), Gundagai
- Foreshore Road, Port Botany, Sydney
- Hexham Bridge (South Bound only), Stockton Bridge, Tighes Hill Bridge, Newcastle
- Moorebank Avenue, Moorebank, Sydney
- Cockfighters Bridge, Wollombi Brook
- Thomas Mitchell Drive, Muswellbrook
- Newell Hwy x Lizard Dr/Old Brewery Rd, Narrandera
AI cameras in logistics
CosmoEye, a Polish company, uses artificial intelligence to improve and optimize business processes. The company emphasizes that the use of image analysis and AI in logistics are becoming important.
Intelligent Transport says AI is paving the way for intelligent logistics and transportation. “AI-based cameras show their strengths, especially when it comes to recognizing a wide variety of organic shapes, locating randomly distributed objects in complex images, and detecting anomalies. These intelligent image processing solutions are attracting a lot of interest on the market, but in comparison, AI vision is still relatively rarely evaluated and used.”
A recent webinar, ‘Unlocking the future of logistics with AI.’ featuring Lior Ron, founder and CEO of Uber Freight, says, “AI is changing everything around us, and the rate of change is faster than ever before. […] Machines can do global optimization more effectively, more efficiently, and solve that global constraint and optimization problem better than humans.”
Also read: AI in logistics: Uber Freight’s blueprint for an automated future
AI combating parcel theft
Companies are using artificial intelligence and technology to combat parcel theft. Last month, UPS Capital Insurance Agency launched a program that can help customers hang on to their packages. UPS Capital is a division of the logistics giant UPS.
The new initiative, Delivery Defense powered by AI, analyzes a customer’s address characteristics and generates a ‘Delivery Confidence Score’ for each address. If the address produced a low score, then a package recipient can recommend in-store collection or a UPS pick-up point.
About the author
Sharl is a qualified journalist. He has over 10 years’ experience in the media industry, including positions as an editor of a magazine and Business Editor of a daily newspaper. Sharl also has experience in logistics specifically operations, where he worked with global food aid organisations distributing food into Africa. Sharl enjoys writing business stories and human interest pieces.
