Cities are grappling with challenges brought about by the surging consumer demand and the booming e-commerce sector. Digital Twins empower decision-makers to construct virtual models of logistics operations, effectively tackling these issues.
Digital Twins offers a promising solution to improve efficiency and sustainability. By adopting these recommendations, local authorities and EU services can pave the way for a future of smarter, data-driven urban logistics that benefits both the public and private sectors.
LEAD has published its policy recommendations to explore the capabilities of Digital Twins (DTs) to usher in a transformation in urban logistics:
- Unleashing Untapped Potential: Digital Twins can revolutionize urban logistics by enabling decision-makers to simulate and test a wide range of scenarios, reducing the costs and risks associated with real-world implementations.
- Navigating Implementation Challenges: The adoption of Digital Twins can be intricate and resource-intensive, demanding skilled professionals. Overcoming challenges related to scalability and data sharing between cities and administrations remains an ongoing concern.
- Empowering Local Authorities: City officials can unlock a new realm of urban logistics planning. LEAD calls for cities to embrace digitalization, cultivate interdisciplinary collaboration, invest in training, and adopt a comprehensive approach that ensures data quality, establishes data-sharing protocols, and promotes open data standards, all of which are pivotal for advancing Digital Twins in urban logistics.
- A Promising Horizon: EU institutions should seize the opportunities LEAD presents and its follow-up projects. This involves leveraging open datasets and open-source software, allocating funds for research, and fostering connections with Living-in.EU, elevating awareness, facilitating the development of standards and protocols, and creating supportive regulations.
Read the full LEAD Policy Recommendations brochure here.