Transportation 4.0 in supply chain management: State-of-the-art and future directions towards 5.0 in the transportation sector

Abstract

In the contexts of commercial freight, shipment delivery, and smart factories, organizations adopt Industry 4.0 (IR4.0) for competitive transportation practices. Yet, the role of transportation as a key "transportation 4.0" sub-system has been overlooked by scholars, resulting in an incomplete transition towards IR5.0. To bridge this gap, we adopt the reductionist approach grounded from systems theory to systematically review literature. Our analysis highlights the integration of technologies in transportation, impacting ecosystems significantly. However, global progress on transportation 4.0 exhibits regional disparities. In response, we propose a transportation 4.0 framework to mitigate disparities and enhance competitiveness. Identifying research gaps, challenges, and prospects, we outline directions towards IR5.0. Our study clarifies the evolving landscape of transportation within the Industry 4.0 paradigm.