Automation Innovations | How Telekom is supporting the AutoLog project

Deutsche Telekom is supporting the publicly funded "AutoLog" project in the port of Emden with two innovations from the Group. The aim is to automate and make workflows at automotive terminals more efficient.

To this end, Deutsche Telekom is contributing two new technologies: the 5G network with a special connection (network API) and an edge data center for fast data processing on site. Together with its partners Volkswagen Group Logistics, the “Bremer Institut für Produktion und Logistik” (BIBA) and software expert Unikie, new and efficient storage and logistics solutions with automated driving are being developed and tested at the Volkswagen plant in Emden.

Automotive terminals are important logistics hubs for the German automotive industry. Every year, Volkswagen Group Logistics ships around 2.4 million cars from around 40 ports. The largest port in this network is in Emden. The terminal operators face many challenges: there are more and more vehicles to ship, but not enough experts to handle the logistics processes. In addition, space in the terminals is limited and expectations regarding flexibility and efficiency are increasing. Therefore, tests are now being carried out to validate how automated driving can help to make vehicle logistics processes better, safer and more environmentally friendly, as well as to counteract the increasing shortage of skilled workers.

The processes at automotive terminals are primarily dealing with the handling of vehicles for onward transportation by various transport modes (rail, truck, ship). The Emden site is a central hub in the VW Group's transportation network with a logistics area the size of more than 100 football fields. The handling of vehicles at the automotive terminal requires a large number of specialists to carry out the vehicle movements and shuttle transportation of drivers to the next vehicle with a driving order. More than 1 million vehicles are handled in Emden every year – including imports from overseas locations and exports for supply to global target markets.

Test field in the port of Emden

For the "AutoLog" project, Deutsche Telekom is providing the logistics area in the port of Emden with 5G coverage. The Volkswagen plant in Emden is directly connected to the port. This means that various traffic situations, such as the mixed operation of manually and automatically driven vehicles, can be tested. The test field includes parking areas for cars, several roads and a heavily used roundabout.

A digital twin of this test field will be created using LiDAR sensors installed in the port of Emden. The abbreviation LiDAR stands for Light imaging, detection and ranging and refers to a technology that uses light to measure distances and speeds. These sensors can detect very small details very accurately and in real time. They perceive everything that moves or stands still – such as people, vehicles and objects. The sensors are highly reliable in different light and weather conditions.

5G network APIs

The software company Unikie is supplying the system for the automatic control of the vehicles, a so-called "marshalling system". The digital replica of the parking spaces is an essential part of the system. The Unikie Marshalling Solution (UMS) ensures that the vehicles can be controlled precisely and safely, even in densely populated or confined areas. Communication with the vehicles takes place via the public 5G network. In the future, LiDAR sensors will also use mobile communications to connect to the UMS. This saves on expensive cabling. A special interface (Quality on Demand Network API) to the Telekom 5G network ensures stable data transmission and a connection that is always of the same quality and reliability.

Edge Data Center

Deutsche Telekom operates the UMS on a so-called edge data center. This ensures that communication between the marshalling system and the vehicle is fast and secure. Edge cloud computing brings computing power and data storage closer to the user.

Unlike traditional cloud computing, which is based on centralized data centers, edge cloud computing places these resources at decentralized locations at the edge of the network. They are located exactly where the data is created and used. This makes real-time data processing better and enables faster responses to user requests.

Project focus

On the test field in the port of Emden, the partners want to explore what requirements need to be met for processes and infrastructure at automotive terminals. They also want to clarify how the technical infrastructure for safe vehicle control needs to be designed. In addition, they want to find ways to improve storage and logistics processes. A major challenge is to safely coordinate automatically and manually controlled vehicles as well as pedestrians at the same time.

The "AutoLog" project is intended to demonstrate that automation of port logistics at automotive terminals has many advantages. For example, it can help to compensate for a lack of personnel, increase safety at work and make processes more efficient. The partners also see great potential in the area of sustainability: for example, the automotive terminal area can be used more efficiently by around 20%. In addition, a reduced number of shuttle transportation can reduce the kilometers driven and thus also the CO2 emissions of the shuttles by up to 25%.

Key data on the AutoLog project

The joint project AutoLog (development of automated driving processes and dynamic storage and logistics concepts at automotive terminals) will run for 3 years and has a total volume of 5.8 million euro. It is funded by the program for innovative port technologies (IHATEC II) of the Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) with a total of 3.2 million euro and is supervised by TÜV Rheinland. With this funding, the federal government aims to promote innovative technologies in German seaports and inland ports, thus increasing their competitiveness. Partners in the project are Volkswagen Group Logistics and BIBA – the Bremen institute of production and logistics systems at the University of Bremen. Associated partners are Deutsche Telekom and Unikie (Munich). The scientific results from this project are also to be used for future research. The developments from the project are to be transferable to many other terminals.