DE4L

„Data Economy 4 Advanced Logistics“

Application industry: Logistics, transport and traffic
Technology area: Data and service management; blockchain/DLT

DE4L is building a platform to facilitate the secure and legally compliant exchange and trading of data for stakeholders throughout the entire logistics chain. The aim is to organize the delivery of shipments to end customers more efficiently and at the same time to develop a smart ecosystem of logistics service providers. In addition, the platform promotes the development of data-based services for customers in non-logistics sectors.

The baseline
Online trading is becoming increasingly popular and is leading to a growing number of orders, deliveries, and returns in the end-customer business (B2C). Delivery vehicles of courier and parcel services already account for around 30 percent of inner-city traffic and an estimated 80 percent of traffic congestion. Organizing what is called last-mile logistics, i.e. the delivery and collection of parcels at the front door, is particularly costly and offers enormous potential to increase efficiency. However, knowledge about delivery locations, opening hours, or helpful neighbours is seldom available in digital form, but rather in the hands of the individual delivery staff.

The project goal
DE4L is creating the basis for building a data pool in logistics. For this purpose, delivery services – postmen, bicycle couriers, drones, and delivery cars – are equipped with sensors that collect a wide range of data during the delivery process. On-board sensors record, for example, temperature, humidity, acceleration, vibration, and position data. Other sensor applications include, for instance, noise measurement and tracing in buildings. An infrastructure for processing sensor data is being developed using methods for anonymization and data cleansing in conformity with data protection requirements.

The DE4L project aims to develop a data exchange and trading platform. Logistics partners can use this platform to share their own and to use third party data. The data pool forms the basis for various data-driven services. These include a new type of data management, which provides delivery services with detailed information regarding routes, gates, or drop-off locations in addition to conventional address data. Another logical step is added services, such as shipment tracking or quality control during transport. Further potential for exploitation exists beyond the logistics chain since the data can also be used, for example, by real estate and navigation service providers, for traffic monitoring and by planning or engineering firms.
All accesses to the platform are controlled and logged using distributed ledger technology (DLT). Legal expertise is obtained at an early stage to ensure that the data is used in compliance with the law.

Application and practical benefit
Merging and evaluating data from different logistics service providers makes it possible to avoid incorrect, delayed, or multiple deliveries, thereby reducing time and costs. The DE4L platform also allows network participants to offer their data for sale to partners from outside the industry, such as real estate companies, navigation service and map providers, transport authorities, or engineering firms.

Term: 1 August 2019 to 31 July 2022

Consortium: InfAI Management GmbH (lead member), Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics, UNISERV GmbH, Leipzig University, fox-COURIER GmbH Leipzig

Contact:
Dr. Stefan Mutke
Institute for Applied Informatics of Leipzig University

E-Mail: mutke@infai.org

Website: www.de4l.io