Autonomous yard trucks to grow at a CAGR of 52.7% to 2030

Bringing yards up to speed with warehouse and transport digitalization is driving the adoption of established supply chain technologies to help track, allocate, and optimize assets in the yard, according to analyst firm ABI Research. A report from ABI predicts the installed base of artificial intelligence (AI) enabled cameras in the yard will reach 11.2 million globally by 2030, and the uptake of autonomous yard trucks will rise significantly at a global CAGR of 52.7% from 2022 to 2030.

“Yards surrounding warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities are becoming the new stomping ground for established supply chain solution providers as they diversify into yard management systems (YMS) and join a growing number of emerging companies focusing on automating yard trailer movements and live asset tracking. In a bid to digitalize and update yard operations, installments of yard systems, enabling tracking technologies, and autonomous tractors are expected to rise considerably in the short to medium term,” explains Ryan Wiggin, Industry Analyst at ABI Research.

Blue Yonder, Körber, and FourKites are adding YMSs to their extensive software portfolio, joining more focused yard solution vendors such as Kaleris and C3 Solutions, ABI Research noted. To enable tracking and visibility of assets and workers in the yard, handheld devices and AI-enabled yard cameras will see increasing deployments in yards globally, growing at a CAGR of 13.0% and 14.8%, respectively, from 2022 to 2030. Established providers Advantech, Honeywell, and Zebra will lead the rise in handheld devices, ABI added, while Blue Yonder, Peripass, and Robovision are pioneering AI-enabled yard camera systems.

Autonomous and teleoperated yard trucks remain nascent,ABI Rsearch noted, but recent investment rounds, partnerships, and successful proof-of-concept (POC) projects indicate an interest and use case for the technology. Outrider, Phantom Auto, EasyMile, and Fernride are some of the few companies doubling down on yard automation, with small-scale deployments paving the way for wider commercial uptake in the coming years, ABI added.

“Advancements in AI are breaking down many of the limitations faced by technologies in outdoor environments. Advanced computing power helps to process data from camera feeds, identify trailers and equipment, and guide autonomous vehicles safely. Where certain technologies couldn’t operate before, AI has helped unlock new use cases and will continue to drive solution adoption within yards,” Wiggins concludes.

These findings are from ABI Research’s Yard Digitalization Market Data report. This report is part of the company’s Supply Chain Management and Logistics research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights. Market Data spreadsheets are composed of deep data, market share analysis, and highly segmented, service-specific forecasts to provide detailed insight into where opportunities lie.