by Nora Panahi
April is Supply Chain Integrity Month, which means it’s the perfect time to spotlight the innovations enhancing the efficiency and reliability of our supply chain. Tariffs, imports, and exports are on everybody’s mind right now, casting doubt on the already fraught subject of global supply chain resilience.
One standout in this arena is our client Outrider, a leader in autonomous yard operations.
We recently sat down with Londonne Corder, Chief Marketing Officer at Outrider, to discuss how their technology is transforming distribution yards for the better. Let’s dive in!
Londonne Corder, CMO at Outrider
Can you provide an overview of Outrider and the specific challenges your company addresses in the supply chain?
Outrider focuses on automating distribution yards, which have been a big pain point in the supply chain for a long time. Everything we wear, eat, and build with passes through these yards, but they haven’t been updated in several decades. As it stands today, distribution yards are as important as they are inefficient – and dangerous. They rely on manual labor and diesel-powered yard trucks, and with millions of vehicles moving through them each day (not to mention billions of dollars wasted searching for the right trailers), they’ve become major bottlenecks for the supply chain.
Outrider’s autonomous, electric yard trucks streamline operations by efficiently moving trailers within these yards. This ultimately helps reduce delays and emissions, and it frees humans up to focus on more high-value tasks.
How does Outrider’s autonomous system integrate with existing yard operations?
We exist to make the lives of supply chain workers easier, so our system is designed to seamlessly fit into current yard environments. Our autonomous yard trucks can couple and uncouple from trailers, maneuver between dock doors and parking spots, and operate alongside human-driven vehicles. This flexibility allows companies to adopt our technology without overhauling their existing infrastructure, facilitating a much smoother transition to automated operations.
Safety is obviously paramount in supply chain operations. How does Outrider ensure the safety of its autonomous systems?
Safety is at the core of our design, and it’s a big part of our overall mission. Working in a distribution yard can be hazardous on many levels – drivers have to get out of their vehicles in all weather conditions and navigate around heavy machinery, all while being exposed to harmful exhaust fumes.
Our AI-driven technology enables the system to understand and interact with the dynamic environment of a distribution yard. It can identify the position, orientation, and velocity of various objects. It can anticipate their trajectories, and it can respond with predictable, human-like behaviors. Plus, it’s all electric, making for a greener yard overall.
Outrider recently secured $62 million in Series D funding. How will this investment propel your company’s mission forward?
This funding is instrumental in scaling our autonomous yard operations. It enables us to expand our services to more Fortune 500 companies, accelerate the deployment of the technology, and continue innovating to meet the evolving needs of the supply chain. Our goal is to make yard automation the standard, with sustainability at its center.
What role do you see autonomous yard operations playing in the broader context of supply chain integrity?
When you can automate the movement of trailers within the yard, it reduces the risk of human error and boosts operational efficiency. This leads to more reliable and sustainable supply chains that are capable of meeting the demands of today’s fast-paced market.
Outrider’s innovations exemplify the transformative power of autonomous technology in supply chain operations. As we celebrate Supply Chain Integrity Month, let’s not forget about the long-overlooked (but critical) link that is distribution yards. Outrider is setting new standards for efficiency, safety, sustainability, and resilience in this space. Their work not only supports the seamless flow of goods today, but it also lays the groundwork for a smarter, more resilient supply chain in the future.
Check out the Outrider blog to learn more.
