Fleet technology has transformed the transport and logistics sector over the past decade. From connected vehicles and telematics to AI-powered decision making, operators now have access to more data and insight than ever before. But with greater connectivity comes greater responsibility. And allied with that, increased vulnerability.
Embedded resilience is essential. As fleets become increasingly connected, resilience must be embedded into organisational culture by design. The same function also needs to be a vital component at the forefront of process and infrastructure. It cannot be treated simply as an afterthought.
Stay close to the edge
Too much trust is still placed in edge devices. These are tools that are not at the core of logistics companies’ technology offering. Instead, these devices such as mobile phones, tablets and IoT sensors, operate outside traditional networks and have weaker security postures. They are treated more casually than mainframe hardware despite containing work and personal data that is just as sensitive.
Edge devices give attackers more potential routes into a company’s networks. From there, the attackers can wreak havoc. And as anyone with even half an eye on the cybersecurity landscape understands, attempts to breach systems are inevitable. It is not a case of if an attack might happen, but when.
Preparation is everything
The key is planning for disruption. This is in direct opposition to simply trying to prevent it. A planned approach helps organisations respond more effectively when incidents do occur. It helps an organisation maintain continuity when it matters most.
This is the ‘worst case scenario first’ mindset. It encourages businesses to develop robust response plans, strengthen operational resilience and understand exactly how they will continue operating when challenges arise. It involves absorbing disruption, rather than simply attempting to avoid it. Organisations which take this approach are in possession of the key to true competitive advantage.
Join the culture club
There is a tendency for firms to over-invest in controls that restrict their teams’ access to systems. However, this overlooks a more fundamental barrier to cyberattacks. A culture in which every last person understands the importance of their cyber hygiene is instead much more preferable. Prevention becomes everyone’s duty.
Employees need to be made aware of better habits. Working in tandem with clearer governance and practical hygiene methods that staff can get behind, it marks a shift in the conversation about security. With this way of thinking, cybersecurity is no longer driven by fear. Repeated behaviours that over time become routine mean that everyday users are not paralysed by consequences of their mistakes.
Cybersecurity is essentially a people and culture issue. Complexity is the enemy of its effectiveness. Sustainable security behaviours, rather than never-ending technical barriers, result in a much healthier security culture. This si something everyone can get behind.
The pitfalls (and potential) of AI
Research has found recently that 70% of transport and logistics managers believe 2026 will be the year AI adoption accelerates across the sector. Like every industry, logistics has benefited from the AI revolution. The opportunities are significant, from automating routine processes and improving decision-making. These are unlocking greater efficiencies across supply chains every day.
But these tools are something with which we need to be very careful. It’s like a chainsaw or an industrial power tool. Yes, it can make things easier for you by drastically accelerating your productivity. But you must take great care, because without the right safeguards, governance and operational discipline in place, you’re leaving yourself open to major risks.
A responsible, considered use of AI is essential. The blind, wholesale adoption is not recommended. AI shouldn’t be trusted with everything. Rather, it should be used to augment our own, human capabilities. Governance is vital and should take the form of figurative ‘safety rails’ around its usage.
Despite such necessary caution, AI still has vast, untapped potential. It would be churlish to not consider what it will be able to do in the very near future. The future is bespoke, proprietary language models that are trained by organisations based on their own supply chain ecosystems. Firms will use AI to identify all kinds of sourcing risks, procurement opportunities, componentavailability. Its use will help firms make data-driven, efficient logistics decisions.
But this is still looking towards the future. Usage in logistics is an area where AI is currently not being used as strategically as it might be. Yet it is where tomorrow’s resilience will undoubtedly be found. Companies will move from reactive ways of working to more proactive processes that are uniquely tailored to their own requirements.
…but understand the infrastructure risks on the horizon
AI use is now skyrocketing and showing no signs of slowing. Hyperscalers such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft and OpenAI are creating an enormous demand for hardware. This has knock-on effects further down the chain of command. Prices for devices are increasing and there are shortages of components, combined with additional pressures on supply chains. So, while this AI-first landscape may seem like a Utopian future, the availability of technology is also destabilising its potential.
We are engaged in a race to the ‘ideal state’ horizon. However, this race is creating hidden, downstream risks. Firms need to understand important risks. An understanding of the economic consequences of hyperscale AI investment is just one of them..
The transport and logistics sector has never had greater access to technology, data and intelligence. But resilience will not be defined by how quickly organisations adopt new tools. It will be defined by how effectively they secure them, govern them and embed them into their operations. The businesses that strike that balance will be best placed to thrive in the years ahead.
