SWITZERLAND: Intermodal freight operator Hupac is to automate its route planning and traffic management processes using sensor data and analytics provided by ETH Zürich spin-off company Nexiot.

Hupac has previously equipped wagons with Nexiot sensors which provide information on their location, impact events, border crossings and mileage every 5 min. Nexiot’s software will now be integrated into Hupac’s in-house management systems, enabling this data to be used to predict delays, plan routes and manage traffic flow.

‘We began working with Nexiot two years ago when we applied the smart sensors to 1 000 of our intermodal wagons,’ said Aldo Puglisi, head of Digitalisation & Business Processes Re-engineering. ‘When we began to analyse the data generated by the sensors in collaboration with Nexiot, we realised that it could be used to identify and predict weak spots in the supply chain, helping us make more informed planning decisions in an optimal way.’

Puglisi said automation of the planning process was expected to save time and money, with fewer manual entries meaning fewer errors and bringing the ability to share information with partners across the supply chain.

source= https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/technology/single-view/view/hupac-looks-to-automate-route-planning.html