Why is autonomy important for businesses?

15.06.2023 | 5 min read

Autonomy is a buzzword that you hear all the time, but what does it mean? Autonomy, in a business context, refers to the ability of a system to operate independently without human intervention. Autonomous solutions are not only cost-effective and easy to use; they also have numerous benefits that can help your business succeed. Here we'll explore some of these benefits for you and your business.

The business benefits of autonomy

In recent years, autonomy has become increasingly important for UK businesses, particularly in the areas of logistics, security, transportation, and delivery. This is due to the potential benefits that autonomy can bring, such as improved efficiency, reduced costs, and increased safety.

One of the primary benefits of autonomy is that it is cost-effective. Autonomous solutions are safer, more precise and faster than human workers, which means your business can save money by investing in technology that does not require salaries or benefits. Autonomous solutions also complement your human workforce perfectly, but utilising their skills set in ways that are more effective and cost-efficient for your business.

In addition to saving money on mis-placed labour costs and increasing productivity, autonomous solutions offer many more advantages to businesses owners. Take the use of autonomous vehicles for example. They reduce other expenses such as insurance premiums (human error causes nearly one third of all car accidents!) and also eliminate the need for parking spaces since they don't need gas stations or garages like traditional cars do, which frees up land space for other purposes!

Human error is costly and dangerous

Human error is one of the most common causes of accidents and can be costly. For example, an estimated 90% of air crashes are due to human error. The most common causes include failure to follow procedures correctly or not noticing that something has gone wrong until it's too late. The same example can be applied to modern day businesses, where human error can impact significantly on security, logistics and productivity.

Autonomous solutions can help reduce the risk associated with human error by utilising robotic technology in instances where mistakes can be costly or life threatening, for example, by introducing autonomous security solutions to protect your team, assets and business.

Autonomous AI solutions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already being used by businesses, and it is only going to become more prevalent as business owners look for eco-efficient and sustainable business models. AI is a powerful tool that can be used in a variety of ways by UK businesses, including marketing, sales and logistics.

From security software, to optimising delivery routes and schedules, it is also important to remember that AI will continue developing as time goes on; learning from behaviour, trends and statistics to create a unified approach to your business. This can help to reduce costs, as well as improving overall efficiency and customer experience.

Autonomous drone technology

Similarly, drone technology is another method being used by innovative businesses to improve their autonomy and cost-efficiency.

Drone technology has recently been championed for it’s potential to benefit UK businesses. Drones are already being used by some UK businesses for deliveries, security and warehouse operations; from safety checks to warehouse picking. With the development of more advanced drone technology, it is likely that we will see an increase in the use of drones for UK businesses, with many recognising that the autonomous use of drones are inevitable in the sustainable future of businesses worldwide. 

Find out more about how drones are the future of warehouse security here.

Autonomy in logistics

Logistics is one area where autonomy is particularly important. With the rise of e-commerce and online shopping, the demand for fast and efficient delivery has increased significantly. Autonomous technologies, such as drones and robots, can help to improve logistics by reducing delivery times and costs, as well as increasing the accuracy and reliability of deliveries.

At Sorair we are developing autonomous logistic solutions, such as Sorair-Link. Sorair-Link software will be available for delivery partners to automate a range of logistics processes, such as inventory management, picking and packing, final mile and freight deliveries. You can find out more here.

Want to know how we can improve your business’ autonomy?

Find out more about Soranet, our autonomous system that make security procedures more resilient, efficient and secure; bringing military-grade security to companies of all sizes.

Or take a look at our ongoing research into the latest technologies and innovative solutions, supporting businesses worldwide.