Whether delivery drones, virtual forklift training or 3D printing – innovations are changing the logistics industry. This is why various members of the DB Schenker staff are busy working on new technologies. For the past seven years they have been supported by scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute – with impressive results Where the Three times a year is how often the DB Schenker steering committee gets together with the Fraunhofer IML to discuss which topics are gaining ground. Digital colleagues The mixed teams from DB Schenker and the Fraunhofer IML mostly collaborate virtually. 20 prototypes and 40 projects have already been launched through the joint efforts of DB Schenker and the IML. Collaborating worldwide DB Schenker works with many startups worldwide to fill market niches more quickly. Digital solution Thanks to BinPACKER, the algorithm behind load planning, different- sized objects are stacked more intelligently. Road gives way to air The VoloDrone could soon be joining the delivery truck on local journeys. 49 future is made 50 Transport is in Erik Wirsing’s blood. His grandfather having founded a trucking company in 1935, Erik effectively grew up in the business and trained as a forwarding agent before he went to university. But as Vice President Gobal Innovation at DB Schenker, he also knows that however fond one is of tradition, it is critical to look to the future. Wirsing’s job, therefore, is to bring new knowledge into the company and “prepare it as well as possible for the future.” And the future has plenty in store – including the VoloDrone, a futuristic-looking transport drone that aims to one day fly loads of up to 200 kg into city centers. Over two meters tall and 10 meters long, the electrically operated drone features vertical takeoff, rendering air corridors unnecessary and sparing city dwellers from bothersome noise. Wirsing sees the drones as an ideal partner for cargo bikes. Their mini-hubs spread around the city could easily be shared by the VoloDrones. “For unloading, they need a 15x15-meter space,” he explains. They could “simply be added” to the cargo hubs. This would give rise to mini logistics centers in the city that would cut down on delivery traffic. This futuristic vision could already be a reality within two years, with Volocopter’s air taxi set to be used at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. Autonomous driving, too, is progressing nicely. Soon we could have a setup where a driver is present but only needs to steer occasionally, if at all; Wirsing predicts this could happen in three to four years. The next step in the development will be drivers in areas such as yard management no longer sitting in the truck, but steering it remotely from elsewhere. Such remote operation helps resolve present-day challenges and paves the way for future possibilities. This would also do away with the driver’s cab, which is currently still one of the biggest cost factors of the vehicle. “Since the cabs have to protect the person, we are increasingly fitting them with sensor systems,” explains Wirsing. For this technical advance, however, we absolutely have to “have the public on board, when a 40-tonner with no driver’s cab suddenly appears around the corner.” In fact, Germany could be the first country in the world to allow autonomous driving, as the relevant legislation was already set in motion by the previous government. That said, there is one small matter that could delay 51 53 54 55 56 52 Boris Otte CIO at DB Schenker in Europe “ When it comes to digitalization of logistics, we’re ahead of the curve. The Fraunhofer IML is the ideal partner for us in this regard. Our man for tomorrow Business administrator Erik Wirsing began his career with Schenker Eurocargo in 1999. Today he is Vice President Global Innovation at DB Schenker 14 15
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