SMOAD Networks

5G SD-WAN
March 16, 2022

Transforming the transportation industry with EDGE computing

Reaching enriched user experience to the last-mile customer is the goal of every enterprise and so is for the transportation industry. Transportation is a vital part of any industry and the success of your business depends on the performance of your logistics wing. Incorporating state of the art connectivity solutions can take your business a step ahead of your competitors. The emergence of edge computing has transformed the way information is stored, processed and retrieved. Companies are moving from the cloud and embracing edge computing for the simple reason that data can be gathered and processed near its origin and then transmitted onto the cloud for accessing, sharing and reporting. All this can be done without the dependency on network connectivity. Isn’t that cool? 


 
Let’s get further into the subject of how edge computing has transformed the transportation industry:

  • It brings computing close to the endpoint or the environment it is needed. Storing data on the third-party cloud means the companies have no idea where the data is going. When there is a need for instant response, the time consumed in sending an enquiry and getting a response is not going to be instant. On the contrary, having data at the edge is going to make things much faster. For example, adding edge servers on a bus or train can provide network coverage to passengers & staff onboard.
  • The use of a standard Bluetooth sensor captures data from the edge. On completion of the journey, you can connect to the LAN and send the data for processing. On the other hand, using cellular sensors transfers data to the cloud and back, which is not a cost-effective proposition.
  • Customer experience is enhanced with edge computing. Customers on a moving vehicle can keep track of their luggage with the help of a QR Code and detect the activity on their phones giving them the live status of their luggage.
  • Instead of using expensive CCTV cameras for monitoring, the use of low-cost IP access cameras working on edge computers as a containerized application is easy to update and cost-effective.
  • Chat between two people in the same vehicle either on Whatsapp, Facebook, etc. needs to travel through the cloud, but with edge computing, the messages will be processed locally in a secure manner without having to travel outside the vehicle to the cloud located in a remote location. This means your conversation is guarded and you can send messages between the driver and other staff on your smartphone, without having to worry about installing customized applications.
  • Now you can make announcements to your staff on the moving vehicle from a designated point using your smartphones either directly to their respective smartphones or via the speaker located in the cabin.
  • The delay between a data request and transmission is called Latency and this issue can be addressed with edge computing. With legacy fleet providers using 3G, (twice as slow as 4G LTE), edge computing can help secure data using biometrics at lesser security risks. This means the hacker has to first attack multiple mobile edge computing devices before impacting the business.
  • Transportation services can build their systems on standard iOS or Android devices at an affordable cost to enhance user experience.

 
Introducing SMOAD edge
SMOAD can run multiple Virtual Machines at the edge level. This gives SMOAD an advantage to perform various functions at the device itself. SMOAD edge routers help connect to the internet beyond WAN, The edge routers receive inbound traffic by securing IP traffic from the server or other routers. The SMOAD edge router is the gateway to branch routers. With SMOAD edge routers you can be sure of business continuity, security, low latency and stability all at a minimal cost.
 
Call for more information on edge solutions!