Cloud and mobile  technology specialist Car Delivery Network (CDN) has made history this week, winning the coveted Automotive Global Award for IT innovation a third time.

The award recognises ground-breaking technology, design and service, which demonstrates innovation that has delivered meaningful solutions to the automotive industry.  

This year, CDN’s success is based on the roll out in 2016 of its new eOUTGATE solution for rail in the US, which was designed to facilitate the electronic release of vehicles from Railyards for onward delivery to dealerships, removing the need for paperwork and automating the process of information transfer between all parties involved in the interchange.

Rail companies have been quick to welcome the innovation, with 22 railheads serviced by Class 1 rail companies, Union Pacific, CSX, FEC, BNSF, CN (Canadian National) converting to the eOUTGATE solution to date.

According to co-founder and director of CDN Wayne Pollock, the expectation is that the majority of rail heads will move to eOUTGATE over 2017/18.

“Our mission is to help connect all parties in the automotive logistics supply chain using cloud and mobile technology. Our mobile ePOD app VinDELIVER, which won this Award previously, started the transformation from paper to electronic data capture for many US Auto Carriers; now the introduction of eOUTGATE, an electronic gate exit enhancement, further extends the capabilities of vinDELIVER to the ‘final mile’ between railyard and dealership, allowing truck carriers and subhaulers already using the app to exit rail facilities quickly and efficiently with 100% paperless movements,” he says.

eOUTGATE connects the driver to the railway system with a simple ‘click and comply solution’ This helps all parties increase supply chain velocity of vehicles from factory gate to dealer. It is a straightforward ‘Out of Box’ solution for all rail companies and is included with CDN’s ePOD solution, vinDELIVER.

“The benefits are clear, not just for rail companies, but for OEMs, carriers and dealerships too,” Pollock explains.

“eOUTGATE delivers a  single interface for all carriers, irrespective of what railway or rail ramp they are hauling from. Drivers are able to exit rail heads faster and overall customer service is improved as more and better information is received paperlessly and in real-time by all stakeholders, bringing greater efficiency and reducing costs. In short, eOUTGATE has simplified gate release, speeding up the process and delivering higher accuracy of data to the rail companies, carriers, dealerships and OEMs.”

eOUTGATE also enable users to electronically capture and transmit load data, damage codes, and related photos directly to the rail company’s own system. Uniquely, this system enables inspection agents to gain direct and immediate access to the damage write-ups, facilitating rapid and seamless release of vehicles at all locations.   

Currently, over 3 million new vehicles - approx. 1 in 6 new of all new vehicle deliveries in the US are completed using CDN’s cloud and mobile technology.