Capital Equipment News October 2016

EDITOR'S COMMENT

I recently had the pleasure of witnessing the stridesVolvoConstructionEquipment has made as far as electromobility and automation are concerned. Its prototype innovations, dubbed ‘machines of the future’, are technological advancements which, for me, are a clear sign that the future may not be so far away after all, if it’s not already here. One thing to drive home from this whole experience was that times are changing, im- pacting on how equipment works, and will work, on sites. While there are still echoes of trepidation in some quarters of the con- struction equipment industry whenever elec- tromobility and automation are mentioned, the fact is that everything else is changing, and you can only fight technological change at your own peril. Change is dramatic; the rate of change in the world calls for innovation to keep pace with it. The world in 2025 will change, and we really need to change with it. For exam- ple, by 2025, 30% of corporate audits will be performed by Artificial Intelligence. By 2025, the first 3D-printed liver transplant will have taken place, while 10% of cars on US roads will be driverless. By this time, a 3D-printed car will be in production, while 90% of the global population will be using smartphones. So, to understand the role technology will play in every aspect of people’s lives, there is need for a complete paradigm shift. As times change in all other aspects of life, why not in construction equipment? It is just kind of an open mindset that we embrace these rapid advances in technology as they will take the industry to the ‘promised land’, where safer, cleaner and more efficient working will be the order of the day on sites. Innovation is not a ‘nice-to-have’, it is

a fundamental part of the future of every business. As jobs in the quarries and on the construction sites of the future are likely to be different, technological advances such as improved human-machine interface, auton- omous operation, machine-to-machine con- nectivity or alternative power systems, are already shaping up for the future. Research in the fields of automation has vindicated the school of thought that repetitive processes on sites, such as load and haul, are the low hanging fruits as far as automating process- es is concerned. Automation makes sense for all foreseeable situations, and it is encour- aging that research also shows that 80% of the processes on sites fall into this category. As you will see in the Technology feature (Page 32), Volvo CE is pushing boundaries of engineering, automation and electrification with its range of prototype innovations. The innovations in question comprise the LX1, a prototype wheel loader said to have the potential to improve fuel efficiency by up to 50%; a prototype autonomous wheel loader and articulated hauler working together; as well as an electric site solution that show- cases the new concept HX1, an autonomous, battery-electric and cab-less load carrier. But, jut just how long will it take before these machines become part of the day-to- day operations on global sites? Although this technology may be years away from – or may never enter – production, it will undoubtedly influence the OEM’s future offerings. We are already starting to see systems that are less dependent on operator skills, ones that support operators with guidance or con- trol primary functions. In the near future, we will definitely see increased machine autono- my and the operator will act more in a super- visory role. b

Munesu Shoko – Editor

capnews@crown.co.za

@CapEquipNews

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS OCTOBER 2016 2