Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City, President: Keiichi Yoshii, hereinafter “Daiwa House Industry”) and Canon Marketing Japan Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Masachika Adachi, hereinafter “Canon MJ”) have jointly developed a new system to visualize and improve truck drivers’ waiting and cargo handling times. Starting from November 1, 2024, a pilot project will begin at the “DPL Hiratsuka” logistics facility in Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture. This initiative aims to address the “2024 Logistics Problem” faced by the logistics industry and improve efficiency.
A Step Towards Solving Issues in the Logistics Industry
The “2024 Logistics Problem” refers to the shortage of truck drivers and the rising logistics costs due to the reduction in working hours brought on by labor reform. In response, the government has issued guidelines requesting shippers to shorten drivers’ waiting and cargo handling times, with the goal of completing cargo operations within two hours. Efficient logistics operations have become a pressing issue for the industry as a whole.
The system developed by Canon MJ and Daiwa House Industry uses video and AI technology to automatically analyze truck movements at logistics facilities. The system records the entire process—from the truck’s entry into the facility, moving to the loading/unloading area (called a berth), completing the cargo operations, and exiting the facility—using cameras. AI analyzes the drivers’ movements and work time, visualizing the time spent waiting for and handling cargo.
By implementing this system, shippers and logistics facility managers will be able to better track truck movements and work efficiency, reducing the burden on drivers and improving operational efficiency. In addition, the system is designed to work in conjunction with truck entry reservation systems and online check-in to optimize the overall operation of logistics facilities and reduce unnecessary waiting time.
The pilot project aims for full-scale deployment across all logistics facilities operated by Daiwa House Industry under the “DPL” brand from April 2025 onwards. Daiwa House Industry has been working on improving the efficiency of logistics facilities for some time, including the introduction of a truck entry reservation system. With the introduction of this new system, logistics facilities are expected to evolve from mere storage spaces to hubs for efficient logistics operations.
If successfully implemented, this system is expected to have a ripple effect on efficiency improvements across the logistics industry as a whole. Shortening waiting times and improving truck drivers’ working conditions could help alleviate labor shortages and reduce transportation costs.
Press release available here