inbound
With the average e-commerce order, the identity of
the delivery driver isn’t a big
concern for the customer.
After all, it hardly matters
to them who will be dropping off the coffee beans
or running shoes they just
bought online. However, certain types of orders—such as
medical devices and pharmaceuticals—require far more
stringent security, as both
the buying and selling parties
may be required to establish
a chain of custody and proof
of delivery.
According to one block-chain logistics startup, the
solution is facial recognition.
Serve, a tech firm based in
the Cayman Islands, says it
has integrated its biometrics
technology with its block-chain logistics platform to
help users secure every step
of the delivery process.
The firm says its solutions
are designed for applications
in the transportation, logistics, and retail sectors, making secure last-mile delivery a
viable option for users ranging from global businesses to
mom-and-pop companies.
The product comes as
facial recognition sees
increasing application, ranging from the Apple iPhone’s
biometric passcodes to police
departments’ efforts to track
suspected criminals. The
technology is also raising
privacy concerns, however.
Last month, San Francisco
passed an ordinance banning
municipal agencies from
buying facial-recognition
technology.
A face in
the crowd
Talking on your cellphone or texting while you’re behind the wheel doesn’t just
drive other motorists to distraction. It puts lives at risk. The National Safety Council
reports that 1.6 million crashes a year are caused by cellphone use, and one out of
four driving accidents in the U.S. is caused by texting while driving.
But improper cellphone use is just one of many distractions that frequently lead
to traffic accidents, according to The Floow, a U.K. telematics-based safety solutions provider. The company says it has studied billions of journey miles to identify
key behaviors that have a significant impact on driver safety. To mark National
Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, The Floow published its top tips for
safe driving. They are as follows:
b Put your cellphone out of arm’s reach, so you’ll get in the habit of waiting to
answer your phone until it’s safe.
b If you must talk, do it hands-free. Bluetooth is the way to go.
b Secure your mobile device in the glove compartment or another safe place. Free-flying phones can cause damage or injury during a collision.
b Pick a safe time to travel, avoiding the statistical danger zone between 11 p.m.
and 7 a.m.
b Take regular breaks during long journeys to stay alert.
b Consider the speed limit a guide, not a target. When the weather is bad, slow
down to allow for a greater breaking distance.
b Drive smoothly. Aggressive acceleration and deceleration can both be
dangerous.
Shut up and drive
Electric trucks are here, and interest is running high among fleet operators. But one
thing’s been holding the trucks back: the lack of a charging infrastructure.
While operators of gas- and diesel-powered vehicles have access to a nationwide
network of filling stations, drivers of electric trucks have limited options for charging
their batteries—a deficit that effectively limits their use to short-haul routes or freight
yard and drayage applications.
Penske Truck Leasing is now working to
end this inequity. The vehicle rental giant
recently announced that it had opened
commercial heavy-duty electric-vehicle
charging stations at four of its facilities
in Southern California. Penske says it
believes these are the first direct-current
(DC) fast-charging stations in the U.S.
designed specifically for heavy-duty commercial electric vehicles.
The company has installed 14 of the
high-speed chargers to date and says it plans to add at least six more, bringing the
total to 20. The high-speed chargers are currently available at Penske facilities in San
Diego, Chino, Anaheim, and La Mirada.
Of course, “high-speed” is a relative term here, since charging an electric truck still
takes much longer than filling a tank with gas or diesel. Penske’s charging stations
use 50 k W to 150 k W chargers, which can power an all-electric class 8 tractor from
zero to 100 percent charge in “less than half a shift,” the company says.
Electric nation
