This book describes the implementation of autonomous control with multiagent technology. Therewith, it tackles the challenges of supply network management caused by the complexity, the dynamics, and the distribution of logistics processes. The paradigm of autonomous logistics reduces the computational complexity and copes with the dynamics locally by delegating process control to the participating objects. As an example, shipping containers may themselves plan and schedule their way through logistics networks in accordance with objectives imposed by their owners. The technologies enabling autonomous logistics are thoroughly described and reviewed. The presented solution has been used in a realistic simulation of real-world container logistics processes. The validation shows that autonomous control is feasible and that it outperforms the previous centralised dispatching approach by significantly increasing the resource utilisation efficiency. Moreover, the multiagent system relieves human dispatchers from dealing with standard cases, giving them more time to solve exceptional cases appropriately.

Part I Logistics Requirements

Introduction
Supply Network Management
Autonomous Control in Logistics
Part II Multiagent-Based Approach
Agent Technology
Potential for Cooperation in Autonomous Logistics
Team Formation in Autonomous Logistics
Team Action in Autonomous Logistics
Part III Application and Evaluation
Implementing Autonomous Logistics
A Case Study in Container Logistics
Transition to Autonomous Logistics
Conclusion and Outlook
Index.