Exploring the Potentials of Automation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Paving the Way for Autonomous Supply Chains

The automation of physical and information logistics processes is one of the most challenging developments in logistics but is increasingly necessary in order to adequately deal with the increasing dynamics and uncertainties arising in logistics networks. If the automation of processes in logistics is systematically driven forward today, autonomous logistics systems are even conceivable in the future if the potential of digitalization is exploited. While some companies are already innovating in this area, the majority are still in the early stages of development. This book comprises the articles of a Special Issue on the application areas and potentials of automation in logistics on the path to autonomous logistics systems. The scientific contributions intend to contribute to a lively discourse in practice. The articles cover a broad spectrum of physical and informational automation applications with high practical relevance in individual subareas of logistics (e.g., production and transport) or in connection with the entire logistics network. Topics of IoT applications in intralogistics or holistic approaches of data-driven production logistics as well as autonomous driving or digital twin approaches for intermodal transport chains are covered. The implications for the human factor in logistics networks are also examined, and future research and action areas are identified.