Technology is not the main driver of innovation in construction

Innovation in construction is becoming increasingly important, but according to Vijayshekhar Nerva of Bobcat's global innovation team, technology is not the main driver. "Construction is facing some major challenges such as manpower shortages, sustainability requirements and the need to complete construction projects faster and cheaper. Innovation must provide a solution to those problems, but technology is only one part of it." Vijayshekhar talks about the innovation policy at Bobcat.

Vijayshekhar Nerva - Vijay for short - is responsible for innovation at Bobcat, one of the largest suppliers of compact construction equipment. In that respect, it may seem a bit strange that he does not see technology as the starting point of innovation. His vision stems in part from his education. Before joining Bobcat's innovation team in 2017, he studied data science. One of his major pursuits at Bobcat is to do data analysis based on economic developments and trends, among other things. "Of course we also look at technology and new products, but if you want to develop innovations you need to have a good understanding of trends and developments in all kinds of areas. For example, the medical industry was a forerunner in digital diagnostic techniques, combining both human data and data from machines. Such techniques are also of interest to us. In addition, we are looking at blockchains and virtual reality. Trends and hypes follow one another at a rapid pace these days. Just when there is some acceptance, the next one already appears. It is important, that from this avalanche of innovations you can pick out the real 'gamechangers' and apply them effectively in our sector."

Forcing the government

"It is often said, that legislation, acceptance and technology are the most important preconditions for innovation. I think differently. I think legislation and guidelines for companies should not be the drivers for change and innovation. In fact, it should work the other way around. The business community itself should come up with innovations that solve the problems in construction. Once we have developed these, we must force the government to create the right preconditions for acceptance and use. For example, subsidies for the purchase of sustainable machines, so that we can give a real push to their adoption. And the government has to provide adequate infrastructure to charge all those machines. That means that the generation of electricity must be truly sustainable and that the power supply on construction sites must be able to be properly regulated." 

Challenges for construction 

For Vijay, the challenges, which construction faces, should be the primary starting point for innovation. And challenges abound. A very important one, according to Vijay, will be the shortage of personnel. "With an aging population, construction is losing a lot of skilled and experienced personnel. Among the younger generation, there is little enthusiasm to work in construction. This shortage of personnel can be partly compensated by autonomous machines that perform part of the work independently. With smart support from digitization and IT tools, even drivers with little experience can perform the work quickly and efficiently. This is why we also pay great attention to improving comfort in the cab. The driver has to deal with noise, vibrations and a very dynamic environment, which requires a lot of concentration. Many drivers have physical complaints by the age of 50. By developing an ergonomically optimal working environment, with logical controls and modern tools, you can allow people to work longer and more pleasantly." 

Sustainability

Vijay: "Of course, sustainability is also a major challenge. There are increasing requirements to operate sustainably and reduce emissions. In a few years, most companies will have to account for their performance and results in that area. But again, I think construction companies should take more of a lead themselves. You shouldn't work on sustainability because you want to be compliant. You should do it because it's the only right thing to do. The situation is now so dire that we cannot pass on drastic measures to future generations one more time. We have to work on real solutions now. Besides, younger generations are making demands about the sustainability of the things they buy and want to do. Companies that do not respond to this do not have a future." 

Four principles

Bobcat uses four key prerequisites for its innovation. The first is connectivity. "We get access to huge amounts of data that are important for the execution of the work, but we also generate huge amounts of data on the construction site, which provide insight into the progress of the project and the performance of construction machinery, for example," Vijay clarifies. "All that data needs to be available in real time, because whatever you do; you need data. In addition, performance and productivity of the machines are important. Work has to be done and it places certain demands on machines. Basically, it doesn't matter what technology you use, as long as the work is completed quickly and on time. The third principle is good knowledge of the construction site. I prefer to call that "awareness. A construction site is a very compact and complex environment where a lot is happening and where many objects are present.     

Knowledge of the construction site and information about the location of all those objects - including people - is essential to do the job properly and safely. And finally, sustainability is important. This includes not only emissions, but also the use of durable, robust materials in the production of machines and ease of maintenance, which makes machines last longer." 

Bobcat innovations

Many of the innovations presented by Bobcat in recent years are a recognizable consequence of these principles. The electric machines introduced by Bobcat in recent years, such as the E10e and E19e excavators and the all-electric loaders, the T7X and the S7X, stand out the most. Also introduced were the MaxControl WiFi remote control for machines and MachineIQ for remote monitoring of machines. With that tool, machine utilization can be optimized and it enables predictive maintenance. 

According to Vijay, the collection and use of data, which provide an exact picture of the construction site, is also going to take off. Among other things, that data will make maneuvering machines easier. "That started with improving visibility from the cab using cameras. Through the use of drones, radar and other sensors, we can provide the operator with a variety of applications to recognize and avoid people, other machines, buildings and infrastructure on the job site (even above the machine and below the ground). Even site operations can be indicated on screen in 3D. In the future, thanks to virtual reality, with the help of screens integrated into the windows, drivers will be able to have a full and transparent view of the work site and control the machine with buttons also projected in the windows. With the help of all that data, we can also have (semi-)autonomous machines navigating the terrain."

For CES, to be held in Las Vegas in early January 2024, Vijay announced a Bobcat machine that drastically breaks with the traditions of the past. He won't say anything about it yet, except that the machine will go several steps further than the RoqueX, which was on display at CES earlier this year.

Embrace

While technology is certainly not the most important starting point for innovation, according to Vijay, he does believe, construction companies should embrace new technology more quickly. "Don't just be guided by price," he advises, "but ask yourself what innovations mean for the well-being of your staff, for safety on the construction site, for efficient use of materials and equipment, for productivity and sustainability of the company. Think about how you yourself can get the most benefit from new technology and what new technology you would like to have. Ask suppliers to develop that technology and implement it in their machines. I would love to get ideas from entrepreneurs, because we like to take on new challenges."