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The construction industry is at a crossroads with AI, automation, and electric vehicles poised to reshape how work gets done. But what will it look like, exactly?
We visited Caterpillar’s Demonstration and Learning Center in Edwards, Illinois, to find out.
Key Takeaways
- Caterpillar is using AI and automation to streamline construction work and improve safety.
- We had the opportunity to try some of its enhanced vehicles in the field.
- We also got to see an electric loader prototype in action.
Automation Isn’t Just Vital, It’s Already Here
Autonomy VP Tim Crane and construction tech product manager Todd Farmer contended in a presentation that the future was already happening, even as he and the team teased a few major upgrades on the way.
Farmer noted that the company’s giant mining trucks had been autonomous for over a decade. There was already a degree of automation in other products, such as 3D grading (that is, shaping terrain) assistance that keeps bulldozers on their path. That’s not including the Cat Command remote control system that lets operators distance themselves from their machines.
That technology is already necessary, Crane argued. As with agriculture, there are chronic labor shortages — the executive claimed there were half a million workers needed, and that productivity was lagging other industries. Automation and AI reduced the need for grade checkers and other traditional construction roles while saving time (down from nearly 22 minutes to 12 with dual GNSS positioning) and letting newcomers drive more like experienced crews. Remote operation even lets one driver steer multiple pieces of equipment.
The VP said safety is also important. About a fifth of construction accidents are fatal, and autonomy makes vehicles easier and safer to use. Semi-autonomous assists take some of the challenge out of tasks like digging. An excavator can dig to a set depth automatically, for instance, while Cat Command can keep operators away from explosives and other dangerous situations.
Much more is coming, however. Farmer previewed a Collision Warning with Motion Inhibit system (due late in 2024 for medium loaders) that used AI perception tech to prevent construction vehicles from moving until an obstacle was clear. A loader would stop if the driver backed toward a vertical pipe, but would elegantly steer around it as the operator changed direction. Later technology would also react to oncoming risks (such as a truck driving behind) and help vehicles slot into narrow bunkers.
And yes, Crane considered AI “essential” in other construction areas. It could already be useful for documentation, and the executive ultimately saw it weaving deep into equipment. He foresaw a day when construction went from one operator per machine to commanders (as Farmer put it) who managed multiple vehicles from one location.
Hands-on With Automated Construction
We had the opportunity to not only see some of the company’s cutting-edge equipment in action, but to try some of the existing gear ourselves — yes, they really could trust neophytes with this equipment.
The most sophisticated of the lot was a compact track loader with dual GNSS positioning masts to help with 3D grading. It was very easy to steer using the joystick controls, and it could easily (in some cases, automatically) switch from navigating the vehicle to operating the boom and a connected smart attachment, like a grading blade. It took just a few minutes to go from complete novelty to being reasonably comfortable.
The cabin also doesn’t overwhelm you with the technology. There’s a standard display with vehicle info, but you’ll also find an Android tablet that helps with advanced grading features. You’ll receive a plan that tells you which areas need to be cut and whether you’re on target. The positioning is accurate enough that you could simultaneously build both ends of a bridge and expect them to line up properly.
And yes, we had the chance to live out childhood dreams of operating some particularly heavy machinery. The excavator (pictured above) and compactor (below) aren’t as connected as the loader but still have their share of automation. In addition to the depth assist, the excavator has an “e-fence” system to prevent bucket collisions, a bucket assist to maintain a last known position, and an onboard scale to prevent overloading.
The compactor, meanwhile, correlates data to provide a reasonably close estimate of how well you’re compressing the soil or other materials. It can’t get the exact compaction percentage, but you should get a sense of how well you’re doing your job.
In both cases, ease of use remains the motto of the day. The excavator and compactor were simple to drive during our test (once we got used to the compactor’s articulated body, at least). Steering their respective bucket and blade wasn’t difficult, either. While it was clearly going to take longer to truly master them, knowing the assists were there made that prospect less daunting.
Beyond this, we also saw a live demo of Cat Command. It’s about as close as you can get to being in the cabin without a virtual or mixed-reality headset. A three-display setup with extensive joysticks and buttons lets you not only see the world from a machine’s cameras but check an external view and the vehicle’s operating data. Virtually any task you can perform from the cab is available here, and you can lean on semi-autonomy, geofencing, and similar technologies.
Eyes-on With an Electric Construction Vehicle
AI and automation weren’t the only construction innovations Caterpillar was eager to show. The company also showed a prototype electric variant of its 950 GC wheel loader that showed how the technology could be used on a job site.
It’s cleaner-looking than the conventional model, if longer. And it’s definitely more powerful than any electric car you’ve seen. It runs on a 256kW battery system with a 600V architecture (most EVs are 400V, with some 800V), which is absolutely essential for fast charging. You can top up the massive battery packs in 30 to 45 minutes, but you’ll need a powerful DC charger (up to 360kWh) to make that happen.
A production electric loader is still roughly a year and a half away, a Caterpillar team member told Techopedia. And don’t expect the company to leap on Tesla’s NACS charging port standard shortly. While it’s not off the table, the brand more realistically expects charging stations with a mix of CCS for equipment and NACS for on-site cars and trucks.
The Bottom Line
Right now, the construction industry is in a state of flux with AI and electrification still on the cusp of wider adoption. Caterpillar is eager to talk about where it is and where it’s going, but it isn’t where it wants to be yet — as much as the company wants to say the future is here, the real transformation is still years out.
There’s also the matter of competition. Volvo and Bobcat are designing autonomous construction equipment that won’t even have space for human drivers. While that technology is likely far away from real-world use, it’s not yet clear that Caterpillar will have an answer when those self-operating vehicles arrive.
Caterpillar is one of the dominant companies in the field, though, and it made the point that some of the most important features (such as assists and remote control) are in use right now. Technology only helps when it reaches real customers, and that’s definitely the case here.
