TECH & INNOVATION

By Kawal Preet | March 24, 2025

The future of shipment tracking is already here. Check out how innovations in AI-powered supply chain monitoring and IoT are delivering end-to-end visibility for important deliveries.

• Shipment tracking technology has evolved beyond simple location updates, empowering businesses to monitor cargo in near-real-time and stay on track.
• Game-changing innovations like IoT have become essential for industries dependent on near-real-time shipment visibility, including pharmaceuticals and high-value goods. 
• The future of shipment tracking promises to transform the customer experience, offering next-level agility and peace of mind.

The world is changing – fast. But some innovations gradually work their way into our lifestyles over time, improving how companies do business. 

Shipment tracking technology that allows you to track orders and deliveries has made huge strides in the last few decades. The benefits to both sender and receiver are obvious. Parcel tracking is serious business, and constant investments have been made in recent years to enhance the technology behind it. 

The greater the precision, the better, allowing for adjacent planning and unexpected contingencies. In the field of healthcare, ultra-precise tracking can save lives.

This precision has fueled the growth of many industries that rely on high levels of supply chain visibility for success.

Imagine a world without shipment tracking for businesses dealing in high-value products like jewelry and antiques. Delivery tracking enhances security and reduces logistics risk. Without it, losses would eat into your bottom line, insurance would be eye-watering, and customer trust would be at an all-time low.

Today, logistics tracking solutions have evolved far beyond simple location updates. Innovations like the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI have entered the game. What we see today is next-level control in shipment tracking, making high-value industries more robust and transforming the customer experience.

The rise of near-real-time shipment tracking technology

FedEx started using tracking numbers back in the 1970s. It’s now an everyday standard in shipping. Since then, the quality and quantity of data linked to those tracking numbers have soared.

One of the most crucial innovations in logistics has been IoT. IoT devices collect and transmit near-real-time data from sensors or RFID tags attached to cargo or built into containers. Using them, we can remotely monitor the location and condition of goods, including their temperature, humidity, and exposure to light.

IoT data allows for better decision-making: it can help businesses optimize delivery routes based on near-real-time conditions. It’s also an efficient way to detect tampering and combat theft, giving your customers peace of mind every step of the way.

At FedEx, we’ve taken this precision monitoring to the next level with SenseAware ID. Part of our near-real-time monitoring and intervention solution, FedEx Surround, this solution features lightweight, compact sensors placed onto your package at pickup.

Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), SenseAware ID sensors deliver precise package location data every two seconds to WiFi access points or gateway devices throughout our network. 

Packages equipped with these sensors get tracked hundreds of times throughout their journey, not just a few dozen times as per traditional scanning protocols. What you get is unparalleled transparency into the condition of your valuable shipments, ensuring they stay on track.  

How shipment tracking is transforming industries

Innovations in shipment tracking are unlocking new growth for global industries where a smooth logistics process is critical.

Take the pharmaceutical industry, for example. Global demand for vaccines and other therapeutics is surging, but shipping them safely across the world is no small feat. As well as protecting them from physical impact, we need to keep them at precisely the right temperature to maintain integrity.

IoT sensors monitor temperature deviations and send near-real-time alerts, so we can intervene where necessary. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this technology helped us ship billions of vaccines successfully.

Now think about perishables like seafood, meat, and fresh produce, which all require cold-chain logistics. Near-real-time tracking technologies make it cost-efficient to ship perishables reliably and prevent spoilage, driving demand for fresh products globally.  

Near-real-time visibility is also a game-changer for high-value shipments such as fine art and extremely high-worth items. With GPS-based tracking and geofencing systems, you can keep tabs on the exact location of your cargo, receiving alerts if it deviates from the designated route. Smart sensors detect light and temperature changes that may indicate your shipment is being tampered with.

These robust layers of security help businesses dealing in high-value products expand safely overseas and ship internationally with peace of mind.

What does the future of shipment tracking look like?

Looking at where we are today, it’s easy to think we’ve taken shipment tracking technology as far as it can go. But there are always more tech-enabled solutions to deliver. 

We’re moving towards a future where businesses have unprecedented control over their shipments, empowering them to make proactive decisions about their supply chain.

AI is evolving to become the great enabler of smarter intervention, giving us the agility to monitor shipments up to the second and intervene at any point of the supply chain.

For businesses relying on high-stakes shipments, the ability to pre-empt and solve problems is a hugely competitive edge that builds customer trust. It also translates to a more personalized customer experience, enabling businesses to provide customers with precise shipment updates and coordinate just-in-time deliveries.

While we may never entirely eliminate damage or loss of shipments, shipment tracking technology can help businesses anticipate disruption. Reducing risk and safeguarding your reputation might be critical to winning a supplier contract over a competitor.

At FedEx, we’re just getting started. With smarter shipment tracking solutions, the supply chain of tomorrow will be more robust and efficient than ever before.