An innovative AI-powered platform for autonomous freight tracking and management, aiming to reduce deadheading by 35%, greatly reducing organisations operational costs and emissions.
Every year, 21 billion empty HGV miles are driven across Europe, wasting fuel and pumping out 17 million tonnes of CO₂. This is deadheading—lorries returning empty after a delivery because no one matched them to a return load. The logistics industry runs on fragmented, often outdated systems that cannot coordinate efficiently, so carriers lose money, consumers pay higher prices, and emissions climb. The UK supply-chain tech company TILT is building Lighthouse, an AI-powered platform and app that tracks freight, matches shipments automatically, and gives real-time emissions data. The system aims to cut deadheading by 35 percent and lower carriers’ operational costs by up to 20 percent. If it works, logistics companies would burn less fuel, earn more per trip, and shrink their carbon footprint without waiting for new trucks or regulations. Consumers would see less upward pressure on prices from transport inefficiency. This is applied commercial research with a clear practical target. Success would mean a quieter, cheaper, cleaner supply chain—one of those systems people rarely think about until it breaks.
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TILT is a supply chain tech SME. Francesco Petruzzelli (Technical Lead), Toby Milligan (Project Lead) and technical experts subcontracted through AI Solutions are the project's key team members. The fragmented, non-standardised nature of the logistics industry complicates achieving efficiency and cohesion across diverse, often legacy, systems. Inefficiencies in route planning and freight matching results in 21B empty HGV miles travelled across Europe. This wastes billions of pounds in fuel and emits 17M tonnes of CO2\. Without solutions to reduce deadheading, logistics companies will continue to face high operating costs, impacting their profitability, and the industry's sustainability efforts will be undermined. Additionally, consumers will face higher prices. Left unaddressed, these inefficiencies will weaken the logistics industry's overall resilience, sustainability and competitiveness. TILT is developing Lighthouse, an AI-powered platform and app for autonomous freight tracking, management and monitoring at scale. Lighthouse also provides real-time emissions visibility, empowering stakeholders to make eco-conscious decisions. Through data-driven planning, precise emissions tracking and monitoring, automated shipment matching and improved use of resources, Lighthouse will reduce deadheading by 35%. This will enhance carriers' income, lower operational costs by up to 20% and significantly reduce missions. Lighthouse's innovative matching, tracking and optimisation features will improve the efficiency and sustainability of the overall supply chain, ultimately benefitting consumers. By focusing on optimising load matching, TILT's innovative approach will transform freight logistics, reducing emissions and contributing to a more sustainable and profitable industry.
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