alerts & publications

Supply Chain Brain: To Save the Supply Chain, Send in the Robotrucks

O’Melveny counsel Jason Orr authored this article, which discusses how automated trucking can change the way our supply chain works in the age of COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed how we work. Video chats, e-mail, and teleconferences are keeping many of us on the job, but technological tools can’t protect every business from the negative effects of mandated stay-at-home orders and social distancing protocols,” Orr wrote. “This is especially true for production facilities, warehouses, logistics, and other industries that make or move things — businesses that might not be able to operate virtually. Many of these companies could soon face an existential choice: shut down or find a way to adapt to our new socially distanced world. Delivery and transportation services, now more important than ever, are already adjusting their operations to comply with guidelines aimed to reduce the COVID-19 risk to their drivers and delivery personnel. And while mask requirements and rules minimizing human contact are a solid first step, automated vehicle technology could be key to protecting this vital link in the global supply chain.”

Read the full article here.