During this project, researchers are looking for ways that cities can use data gathered via the Internet of Things (IoT) to optimize delivery times, locations and returns. In addition, they will investigate whether this can reduce traffic congestion and boost customer satisfaction.
“We will test this with very tangible use cases taking place during the last delivery mile,” explains project leader Jan Merckx (VIL). “We’re exploring questions such as ‘how can the IoT make deliveries quicker and delivery times more trustworthy by, for example, making smarter lockers?’ and ‘how can we transport returns more efficiently out of the city?’”
“In an ideal scenario, a truck enters the city and its route is constantly updated using all available information – data on traffic conditions, open parking spots, weather forecasts, and more,” Jan Merckx adds.
The project is being carried out in close collaboration with imec, a leading research center for nanoelectronics and digital technology in Flanders that is widely-known for its ‘City of Things’ project in Antwerp. In this new project, VIL and imec will use the same infrastructure and examine how it can be applied to Flanders’ cities of Leuven and Mechelen.
