The shift to outsourced logistics is transforming how manufacturers operate—but it's also introducing a new set of challenges. As brands hand off more of their shipping to third-party fleets, the need for visibility, control, and accountability across the supply chain has never been more critical. 
 
That’s where Carota comes in, a leader in AI-powered fleet intelligence, and ADLINK, a pioneer in rugged edge computing. Together, they offer a seamless, intelligent solution that empowers manufacturers to monitor what matters—without taking back the wheel. 

Challenges 

From Efficiency to Uncertainty: The Outsourcing Dilemma 

Outsourcing logistics reduces costs and improves scalability. But it also creates gaps in oversight—making it difficult to monitor driver behavior, shipment conditions, and real-time delivery performance. Manufacturers are demanding more from their logistics networks. 

Without end-to-end visibility, manufacturers are left vulnerable—to delays, compliance risks, and reputational damage. 

Solutions 

Carota: Turning Data into Control 

Key platform features include: 

• Driver Monitoring System (DMS): Detects fatigue, distraction, and unsafe behaviors on the road. 

• Video Management System (VMS): Automatically records and uploads event-triggered footage to the cloud. 

• Transportation Management System (TMS): Optimizes dispatch, routing, and delivery tracking with AI. 

• Fleet Management System (FMS): Provides GPS tracking, vehicle health reports, and driver analytics. 

• Cold Chain Monitoring: Tracks temperature and humidity in real time with automatic alerts for threshold breaches. 
    

“It’s not just about having a dot on the map,” notes Chen. “It’s about knowing if your cargo is safe, your driver is alert, and your SLA (service-level agreement) is on track.” 
 
Chen emphasizes that Carota’s real differentiator is not just managing fleets but uplifting the standards of third-party fleets by focusing on the supply chain. 
 
“We’re not a fleet management company. We’re a transportation management solution provider. That means our solutions help manufacturers define and enforce safety and delivery quality standards across outsourced fleets,” says Chen. 

Inside the Alliance: How Carota and ADLINK Built a Fleet Brain 

What sets this solution apart is the deep integration between Carota’s AI software and ADLINK’s automotive-grade hardware. Each brings critical strengths. Together, they create a fully connected, intelligent ecosystem—spanning from the vehicle to the cloud. 

ADLINK’s ADM-IM10: The Vehicle-Grade Edge Gateway for Fleets 

The ADM-IM10  is a compact, Arm-based vehicle gateway, powered by NXP i.MX8M Plus, engineered specifically for harsh, mission-critical environments across cold chain, public transportation, and industrial fleets. This hardware component plays a pivotal role in enabling Carota's platform to function reliably, securely, and in real time, even under extreme field conditions.

Why ADM-IM10 is Essential 

Powered by the NXP i.MX8M Plus Arm Cortex A53, the ADM-IM10 offers low power consumption along with: 
  

• Extreme Durability: 
  With a wide operating temperature range of -40°C to 85°C, it is ideal for refrigerated transport and outdoor deployments. 

• Rich Connectivity: 
  Features 2x Ethernet, 2x CAN bus, RS232, HDMI, GNSS, Wi-Fi/BT, and dual M.2 slots to support 4G/5G modules and external sensors like TPMS, cameras, ADAS, and more. 

• Compact and Power Efficient: 
  Weighs only 0.4kg, supports ignition sensing, and has low standby power consumption (<10mA @ 24V). 

• Standards Compliant: 
  ISO 7637-2 and E-mark certified for vehicle environments. 

• Intelligent Integration: 
  Seamlessly connects with Carota's cloud-based systems for OTA updates, data streaming, predictive maintenance, and diagnostics. 

  
By hosting data processing at the edge, ADM-IM10 ensures immediate responsiveness and enables real-time decision-making—critical for applications like managing ADAS cameras, radar, and driver alerts, tracking container temperatures in cold chain logistics, as well as ensuring uptime through predictive maintenance in public transport. 
 
“The ADM-IM10 doesn’t just stream data. By doing so, it enables Carota AI stack’s real-time analysis, event detection, and immediate cloud reporting—making it a perfect match,” adds Chen. 

Value Proposition of  NXP's i.MX8M Plus  

At the core of NXP's i.MX8M Plus value proposition is the intersection of multiple innovations to enable the intelligent edge. This means the hardware and software are designed to bring ideal performance, power, and footprint trade-offs, without compromising the accuracy and reliability of AI solutions for automotive systems. The i.MX 8M Plus features powerful quad-core Arm Cortex cores capable of AI inference with TensorFlow Lite, ONNX Runtime, and ExecuTorch frameworks. This is complemented by an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with the key benefits: 
 
•    High-performance NPU for the latest AI models, delivering fast inference performance for popular models like YOLO. 
•    Easily build, train, and deploy AI applications with the eIQ AI SW Stack, leveraging a broad spectrum of intelligent applications, from GenAI Flow, Time Series Studio, Vision Pipeline, and more. 
•    Integrate and iterate with out-of-the-box software demos and solutions on NXP's Application Code Hub, GoPoint, and GitHub examples. 

Highlights 

Why It Matters: A Manufacturer’s Guide to Smarter Shipping 

Paired with the ADM-IM10, Carota’s SaaS platform analyzes live data and visualizes it through a single interface—enabling immediate decision-making. Whether it's driver behavior, temperature anomalies, or route deviations, the system flags what matters. 
 
This joint solution directly addresses the key pain points manufacturers face when working with outsourced fleets: 

This solution is highly adaptable—supporting diverse operations from trucks and trailers to containers and cold chain units—scaling effortlessly across geographies and fleet sizes.

Real Results: Trusted by Taiwan’s Top Fleets 

Proven in high-stakes logistics, Carota’s fleet management solution is already driving measurable results: 

• For a Leading Industrial Gases Manufacturer and Supplier: Enabled safety-critical delivery tracking with alcohol testing and real-time video. 

• For Cold Chain Fleets at Large-Scale Retail Chains: Live temperature monitoring and automated anomaly alerts for sensitive cargo. 

• Fleet For Logistics Management at a Global Delivery Agency: Digitized dispatching and delivery verification across thousands of vehicles. 

• For Fleet Operators at a Leading Steel Manufacturer and Supplier: Integrated dispatch and driver check-in with CSC’s platform and live fleet visibility. 

  
“If your cargo is perishable or high-risk, proof—not promises—is the new standard,” says Chen. 

Looking Ahead 

From Visibility to Industry Standards 

Carota’s vision doesn’t stop at monitoring. It points toward a future where AI-based driving behavior scores become a benchmark for government subsidies, insurance models, and competitive bidding. 
 
“We already know bad driving behavior links directly to accident risk. Eventually, this data should define public policy and commercial standards. Until then, the smart manufacturers will lead the way,” says Kevin. “By empowering the supply chain to enforce safety standards, we’re not just improving logistics—we’re redefining accountability.” 
 
"In a future centered around mobility, smart fleets are not just operational tools, they are the essential building blocks to ensured safety and accountability,” adds Ni. 
 
With Carota’s deep telematics intelligence and ADLINK’s industrial edge strength, manufacturers can now connect their production excellence to their logistics strategy—ensuring every shipment meets their standards, even when it's out of their hands. 
 
Smart logistics doesn’t end with delivery. With Carota and ADLINK, it begins the moment your product leaves the factory. 

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Reprinted from ADLINK
Source: [LINK]