Editor’s Note: This article is part II in a multi-part series on the automotive supply chain. Read the first part here.
Once automotive vehicles are manufactured, the challenge shifts to efficiently managing their outbound journey to dealerships or end customers. The transportation and logistics involved in moving finished vehicles require careful coordination and real-time visibility. That’s what project44 is here to help with. Our market-leading real-time transportation visibility platform helps OEMs optimize the outgoing finished vehicles supply chain to ensure timely delivery and enhanced operational efficiency.
The Complexities of Outbound Finished Vehicle Logistics
Moving finished vehicles from manufacturing plants to dealerships or end customers can involve multiple modes of transportation, including road, rail, and ocean. Coordinating these logistics while ensuring on-time delivery can be a daunting task for automotive companies. Lack of visibility into the supply chain can lead to delays, customer dissatisfaction, and increased costs.
To address these complexities, project44 provides solutions that enable real-time tracking, dynamic Estimated Time of Arrivals (ETAs), and proactive notifications to dealerships regarding any exceptions or delays. Furthermore, project44 offers an API feed into the dealership’s portal and shared visibility, granting dealerships access to a self-service portal that tracks the location of all their Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) precisely. This tracking at the VIN level empowers dealerships to efficiently manage inventory, adjust staffing, and prepare for incoming shipments. By optimizing visibility and information sharing, project44 drives efficiency and enhances the overall experience for both dealerships and end customers.
International outbound shipments present additional challenges. Many vehicles are manufactured in one region and sold in another, requiring coordination across oceans. For example, certain brands both import and export finished vehicles to and from North America due to varying production capacities and market demands. The ocean journey between regions often introduces significant delivery time variations.
To help, project44 leverages its expertise in tracking inbound materials to offer similar capabilities for outbound Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) shipments. This includes tracking at the VIN level, providing real-time information about the vehicles on a specific vessel, and delivering an end-to-end ETA that covers multimodal transportation. By capturing terminal and port statuses, project44 enables precise tracking of offloading at the destination, as well as seamless connections with the second mode of transportation, whether it be an autohauler via truckload or a rail car.
Optimizing outbound logistics for finished Vehicles presents significant challenges for OEMs. The coordination and visibility required for timely delivery and a seamless dealership experience are crucial factors.
project44’s real-time transportation visibility platform empowers OEMs to optimize their supply chain by offering real-time tracking, dynamic ETAs, proactive notifications, and granular tracking at the VIN level. By streamlining outbound logistics, project44 enhances operational efficiency, reduces costs, and improves the overall experience for dealerships and end customers alike.
Ready to get started with advanced visibility to optimize your outbound operations? Learn more and connect with our team now.