Welcome to the future: SmartCargo on Tour

Telematics systems with in-built position detection using precise GPS coordinates are nothing new to road freight transport; they have been state-of-the-art for a long time now. What the market is really crying out for is cutting edge technology. That is why we are working hard on new, groundbreaking projects in the field of digitisation. Technology from the 19th and 20th century does not live up to 21st century customer requirements. Real-time information, quality, safety and sustainability – seamlessly embedded into the entire supply chain – this is what our customers expect. And it is becoming more and more important for the cross-border transportation of goods. On 16th October, A1and the Tiroler Tageszeitung hosted a special 5G IoT Event in Hall in Tyrol, where many companies from a wide range of industries presented IoT (“Internet of Things”) solutions. Clemens Först was there to present the future of smart mobility.

Mobility is getting smart

RCG and A1 Digital got together to set new standards in the competitive logistics industry and embarked on the “SmartCargo” project. This intelligent telematics solution for our freight wagons is a huge leap forward into the world of modern logistics. Special telematics devices mounted onto the carriage body open up new services for our customers: comprehensive information is available at every stage of the journey, including tracking and tracing, departure and arrival notifications, as well as the wagon’s estimated time of arrival. We also benefit from being able to manage wagons much more efficiently. This includes reductions in maintenance efforts and wagon costs, more supplies and quotas, optimised pre-carriage and onward carriage cost formulae, as well as improved fleet management for maintenance. This is a real step towards “intelligent” and “smart” freight trains.

Equipping our wagons with SmartCargo

The first SmartCargo device was mounted to one of the RCG wagons mid-March. Since that point, every wagon sent to one of the ÖBB-TS workshops for maintenance automatically gets equipped with the most modern telematics devices. Eight thousand RCG wagons will be kitted out with SmartCargo by the end of the year. By the end of 2020, around 13,700 wagons owned by RCG will be equipped with position detection, movement sensors and impact monitors. We are getting ready for the future, one train at a time. After all, smart mobility and asset intelligence are going to play a pivotal role in keeping up with market trends and fulfilling the needs of our customers.