Chinese heavy equipment giants ride AI wave at expo

From remotely operated excavators controlled on the other side of the world to fleets of fully autonomous electric mining trucks, artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming the heavy equipment industry, and Chinese manufacturers are racing to the front of the pack.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG, North America's largest construction trade show, ended on Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was clear what dominated discussions.

"Many topics are drawing attention, but in conversations today, two stand out — AI and robotics,"Vivin Hegde, founding and managing partner of Zacua Ventures, said during a presentation at the conference. "The industry is looking at automation in both software and hardware, and that is where capital is moving. Capital follows problems, and the most pressing problem today is labor shortages."

According to cybersecurity and technology consultant Nick Espinosa of Security Fanatics, AI and automation can boost productivity by nearly 15 percent while cutting costs by roughly 12 percent. Beyond efficiency gains, he noted that robotics can take on hazardous tasks, reducing both worker risk and liability exposure.

"AI and automation in construction are the future," Espinosa said.

Amid the crowds, cranes, bulldozers and drilling rigs, one of the more striking demonstrations came from SANY, one of China's leading heavy equipment manufacturers. At its booth, visitors could slip into what the company calls an "intelligent cab" and remotely operate an excavator located at a mining site in China, more than 10,000 kilometers away, using two joysticks and live camera feeds.

Jeremiah Percival of PAF Excavation & Dredging in Columbus, Indiana, was among those who tried it out.

"It was very cool. It took me a little bit of time to get the feel for it, but if you had another 20 minutes, you could get really comfortable with the whole setup," Percival, whose company already owns several SANY machines, told China Daily.

SANY also displayed other AI-powered products, including a grade control system, a fleet management and machine monitoring platform, and an "AI service assistant" designed to help customers service equipment more efficiently.

This sector has been dominated by legacy brands such as Caterpillar, John Deere and Case IH, which have been around for more than a century. Chinese manufacturers, newer to global markets, are using emerging technology to leapfrog rather than replicate.

"Caterpillar has a history of more than 100 years, so we still have a long way to go in catching up with and learning from them," Feng Ruoyu, XCMG's senior brand manager, acknowledged. "When we talk about taking the lead, it is more about the idea of overtaking on a different track. Our differentiated advantages lie in areas such as the industrial internet, artificial intelligence and intelligent manufacturing. Because we are younger, we do not carry the same legacy burdens, which gives us more room to make bold changes."