44% of logistics companies are already preparing for AI — competition is shifting from roads to data

Despite the sluggish European economy and pressure on the transport market, Lithuanian carriers are not slowing down their adoption of technology. A survey of companies conducted by the Transport Innovation Association in December 2025 reveals a paradox: the sector assesses its digital maturity rather cautiously, yet the actual scale of implemented solutions indicates a far more advanced reality.

More than half of the surveyed companies describe the level of digitalization in transport and logistics as medium or low. However, in practice almost all companies already work with digital documents, the majority use transport monitoring systems, and nearly half automate order and route planning.

This means that technology has already become part of everyday operations in the sector, although it is not yet functioning as one integrated system.

“Large companies are implementing systems faster, while small and medium-sized companies often lack resources and competencies. As a result, highly advanced operational models and those only beginning the transition to digitalization coexist at the same time,” says Rugilė Andziukevičiūtė-Buzė, Head of the Transport Innovation Association.

This also reflects a broader picture. According to the DESI index, Lithuania ranks around the middle among European Union countries in terms of digitalization: infrastructure and public e-services are well developed, but the digitalization of business processes is progressing more slowly than in Scandinavia or the Netherlands. In logistics, this is particularly important because the value of technology emerges only when it connects the entire supply chain.

Why technology is not yet creating efficiency

The survey also revealed another characteristic of the sector — digitalization is still often perceived as a cost. The reason lies in the very model of logistics. A system implemented by one company alone does not reduce costs if partners, clients, or institutions operate according to different standards.

In such cases, processes do not become shorter but instead duplicate: data must be entered into multiple systems, documents must be checked manually, and part of the information still has to be submitted on paper.

“The greatest impact appears when data becomes accessible to all participants in the supply chain according to authorization levels. As long as the same data has to be submitted to several systems or institutions, businesses do not yet feel the efficiency benefits,” explains R. Andziukevičiūtė-Buzė.

Therefore, companies are first digitalizing operations — transport monitoring, document archiving, and planning. However, this alone does not change the operating model. A real productivity breakthrough occurs only once data exchange becomes standardized.

Artificial intelligence is no longer just an experiment

Despite the cautious approach, investments in technology are not declining. Forty-four percent of surveyed companies plan to invest in artificial intelligence and automation solutions in 2026, while another quarter are considering such investments. Most companies indicate that they intend to invest at least as much as this year or more.

IT companies are successfully developing AI tools that shorten internal processes and replace human-performed checks or information transfers.

However, it is important to note that artificial intelligence in logistics cannot reach its full potential without structured data, meaning that its implementation requires companies to begin organizing their underlying processes.

“AI solutions cannot function without basic digitalization. First, you need digital data and clearly defined processes,” notes the association’s head.

Companies identify the biggest obstacle not as financing but as a lack of competencies. This indicates that the sector’s main challenge is no longer the availability of technology, but the ability to apply it effectively.

Regulation is changing the logic of the market

Seventy percent of surveyed companies have heard about the Electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) regulation — significantly more than in similar surveys in Germany or other major EU countries, where only about one-third of respondents are familiar with it.

In the near future, eFTI will primarily require public authorities to accept freight documents in electronic format. However, its significance is broader. The regulation creates a common legal and technical framework for electronic data exchange between businesses and institutions across the European Union. This means that the focus shifts from documents to structured cargo data and the ability to transmit it through integrated systems.

“The EU direction is clear: paper is being replaced by digital data. Institutions will start working with digital data. Logistics operators will demand interoperability. Those who remain paper-based will become slower, more expensive, and riskier partners,” explains R. Andziukevičiūtė-Buzė.

According to her, the fact that some companies are already exploring eFTI and preparing to transition to digital data demonstrates not regulatory burden but the sector’s adaptation to future competitive conditions. The regulation will act as a common market standard in which digital compatibility becomes a necessary condition for operations.

eFTI will provide a major boost to the adoption of eCMR electronic consignment notes, which will significantly reduce the paper burden for businesses.

The role of the state: from Estonia’s example to a Lithuanian breakthrough

In Europe, Estonia is most often cited as an example of digitalization, where data exchange between businesses and institutions is organized centrally. Systems such as “Single Window” and “Logistics X-Road” allow market participants and institutions to work with the same data, reducing administrative burden and inspection times.

Lithuania has all the prerequisites to follow this example. Over the past decade, the transport and logistics sector has demonstrated its strategic importance: in 2019 it accounted for around 15 percent of GDP, while transport services make up approximately 47.2 percent of Lithuania’s services exports.

According to economic estimates, one euro created in the transport sector’s gross value added generates about 1.5–2 euros in other sectors of the economy.

The survey shows that businesses are ready to invest but expect clearer direction. One-third of companies identify government support as an important factor in digitalization, especially when implementing more advanced solutions such as artificial intelligence.

“Lithuania’s logistics sector is already quite advanced, so it is important to create conditions that allow it to implement solutions and maintain competitiveness in the region. At the same time, public authorities should increase transparency and digitalize inspection processes so that digitalization becomes a tool not only for efficiency but also for combating corruption and improving oversight,” says R. Andziukevičiūtė-Buzė.