The transportation industry had a trying year in 2021. The global pandemic was a critical factor in the industry in 2021. It created havoc and headaches for managers and companies throughout the transportation industry. That comes as no surprise for an industry built on connectivity, communication, and movement.
But industry-wide challenges like COVID-19 often bring dramatic changes within a marketplace, with companies finding themselves immersed in a world of innovation, creativity, and new technological developments. The critical question for companies when this type of chaos happens in an industry is: Where do we put our focus?
Advancements in software solutions is an excellent place to focus on and track. Software innovations can help companies do more than survive. They can help them thrive in the rest of 2022 and in 2023. Some software trends to keep an eye on in 2022 and 2023 include:
- Software that assures the safety of transported goods
- Cloud-based systems and digitalization systems
- Self-driving trucks (automated vehicles)
- Regulation compliance software
- Mobility as a service (MaaS)
- Increased use of AI in transportation
- Sustainability and environmental regulation
Perhaps, the most interesting of these is the use of AI in transportation. Developments in this area are already transforming the industry. AI, for example, has made self-driving trucks standard equipment thanks to improved motion sensors and automated evaluation capabilities. These advancements allow machines to imitate humans even in unexpected situations.
MaaS Simplifies and Streamlines
MaaS is also a software trend transportation companies need to track. An idea whose time has come, this software approach will make a critical impact in 2022 and 2023. MaaS dates back to Sweden in the 1990s and has gained a solid foothold in the transportation industry. You can expect that foothold to grow in the coming years.
MaaS combines various means of transportation to deliver optimal routes as requested through real-time route scheduling software. This software solution consolidates everything into a single channel, eliminating the challenges found between tickets, time, and payment. Driving this trend is the demand for smoother travel.
But transportation companies also can’t ignore the pandemic. COVID-19 isn’t completely gone. It promises to be with us for a while and will continue to create chaos. Highly complex pandemic statuses, for example, will trigger an increasing need for advancements in transpiration software as companies strive to keep corridors open and businesses moving.
