Joel Honeyman, Bobcat’s vice chairman for world innovation, talks candidly concerning the groundbreaking new expertise the OEM is engaged on and explains why, nonetheless superior the machine is, it’s essential by no means to lose sight of its main features – digging holes and transferring issues round
We meet Joel Honeyman, Bobcat’s world director of innovation, on the busy and noisy Bobcat stand at Bauma 2025. After introductions, we retreat to the relative quiet of the first-floor hospitality suite for our chat – though via the glass doorways onto the balcony we nonetheless can see, in addition to hear, the spectacular Bobcat automobile demonstration.
Because the skidsteers and observe loaders that kind the guts of the Bobcat lineup carry out unbelievable vehicular acrobatics to the delight of the crowds, Honeyman tells us concerning the considering and progressive processes behind these machines, in addition to revealing among the OEM’s plans for the longer term.
With 28 years of expertise at Bobcat, Honeyman is aware of the OEM in addition to anybody. He has been vice chairman for world innovation for over 9 years, however he began his profession within the firm’s coaching group in 1997, earlier than transferring into gross sales. “I really feel like I’ve perspective on our prospects and what they’re on the lookout for – what’s essential to them,” he says.
On the core of his ethos is not only dreaming up progressive ideas, however constructing them and making ready the expertise for the market he is aware of so properly. “What we do is, we make issues plausible. That’s the primary factor,” he says. “I’d put our crew up in opposition to anyone’s round, only for taking an idea and making it plausible, not only a PowerPoint presentation, however bodily having the ability to current one thing as a possible resolution.”
Business improvements
One eye-catching idea, and former iVT cowl star, is Bobcat’s cabless Rogue X, which was first unveiled at ConExpo in 2023. Consistent with the OEM’s ethos the applied sciences that have been first showcased on that machine will not be merely good concepts, however are actually really discovering their means into manufacturing automobiles.
“That automobile confirmed an idea we name Collision-Warning and Avoidance. That’s the identical expertise that we’re now commercializing,” says Honeyman. “These idea machines are actually essential for us. We have a look at a variety of totally different applied sciences. Now we’re going again and saying, ‘Okay, what are the items that we will apply to our present merchandise?’ The system implies that if a machine is backing up and it senses an object, it’ll detect that and routinely cease.”
A second main innovation for the longer term includes autonomous expertise for landscaping: “We’re going to have an autonomous zero-turn mower in the USA as a restricted launch subsequent 12 months in the direction of the tip of 2026.”
The 62in vast industrial mower will differ from residential robotic mowers acquainted in Europe. “Europe has a variety of Roomba-style, random mowers,” Honeyman says. “This one, although, you may set a sample that isn’t random. This implies it could possibly mow in stripes and patterns, which is essential within the US. It made sense for that platform to be first in our lineup with full autonomy, as a result of it’s a single software. Mowers are already going that course.”
On observe for autonomy
Whereas the brand new mower might be Bobcat’s first industrial, absolutely autonomous and cabless machine, it received’t be Bobcat’s first foray into autonomous programs. Already accessible is the battery electrical articulating tractor, the AT450X which was unveiled at CES in 2024 and may function in guide, distant or autonomous mode, all managed by way of a cellular software.
Developed as a part of an ongoing collaboration with San Francisco startup, Agtonomy, the battery-powered AT450X is designed particularly for compact functions like vineyards and orchards. Utilizing AI, it could possibly find out about and react to its surroundings – distinguishing crop stems from weeds for exact spraying and detecting objects that require operation to cease.
An progressive characteristic of the AT450X is its capacity to function constantly by managing its personal energy wants by way of a battery-swapping system. When the battery runs low, it routinely returns to its residence base and a completely charged battery may be swapped out for the depleted one, which might in flip be placed on cost.
The AT450X goals to deal with labour shortages and improve sustainability. “Farmers work lengthy hours in all kinds of circumstances,” says Honeyman. “Options just like the AT450X assist make farming significantly extra sustainable and environment friendly via digital developments.”
The collaboration with Agtonomy, which guarantees to yield additional improvements sooner or later, is a pure extension of distant programs that Bobcat has been providing for its machines since 2019. These are actually evolving, too, and in such a means that might additionally assist to sort out a scarcity in employees.
“We’re including some totally different options to distant programs,” says Honeyman. “We’re engaged on a gaming controller, which we’ve had a variety of requests for. Younger folks don’t need to simply sit within the machine, however they need to do building – so we wish to mix gaming with that.” This might even at some point result in one operator controlling a number of machines concurrently in a swarm.
“Our thesis on autonomy doesn’t essentially take away the operator,” says Honeyman. “There are a variety of issues that act like autonomy that may possibly simply assist a present operator be higher, particularly new and novice operators.”
Electrification with objective
Relating to electrification, Bobcat’s T7X tracked loader, which is on the market at present, is one thing of a market chief when it comes to going absolutely electrical and utterly hydraulic-free – changing not solely the engine with a battery but additionally fluid energy with electrical motors. Its accomplice, the wheeled S7X skidsteer is now being ready for full manufacturing.
However, as with all Bobcat machines, Honeyman is eager to level out that this isn’t simply expertise for expertise’s sake. “Frankly talking, I feel what we’ve realized on this transition to EVs is it needs to be extra than simply saying it’s sustainable,” says Honeyman. “What are the opposite advantages? Can I get extra energy? Can I get extra precision, extra torque, no matter that could be?
“Sustainability is essential, nevertheless it has to come back with another advantages as properly, as a result of the client is making some trade-offs, like price and charging. So, you’ve acquired to provide them one thing a bit extra. That’s why T7X is so fashionable – prospects say, ‘I can get extra performed, and I can get it performed far more comfortably, with out noise.’”
Trying forward Honeyman sees the three megatrends of electrification, connectivity and automation converging: “Whereas three or 4 years in the past, there was an enormous concentrate on EVs, now we’re seeing extra stability with different applied sciences. However we’ve been engaged on all of it, so I be ok with it.”
In the end Honeyman takes a practical method – even whereas coping with among the most superior expertise accessible, he doesn’t lose website of the identical easy objectives that each one Bobcat prospects have. “All our prospects dig holes and transfer supplies,” he says. “They do it with totally different supplies and machines, however that’s basically what they’re all doing. So, what do they need? Properly, they need to dig the outlet quicker and extra precisely. Or they need to transfer issues safely, and extra comfortably.”
Damaged down like this Honeyman is in a position to make sure that Bobcat’s innovation is at all times sensible, and that it stays grounded in attaining helpful duties extra effectively. He’s additionally capable of convey clear understanding to an accelerating price of change. “It’s not that arduous,” he smiles.
The innovation course of
Joel Honeyman is predicated at Bobcat HQ in North Dakota however his world duties take him all all over the world. In significantly Honeyman locations buyer suggestions on the coronary heart of the innovation course of, which entails many website visits.
“We take out ideas in a short time to our prospects to get suggestions instantly,” he says. “We do street journeys. Actually, my crew is in Omaha, Nebraska, this week. Over three days we’re exhibiting totally different teams of consumers various new improvements that we’re engaged on.”
These periods assist prioritise growth efforts: “Perhaps we are going to present them 10 various things after which we ask them for his or her high three, and ask what they could be prepared to pay for them. We are able to’t fall in love with our personal thought. It’s acquired to have a objective, and prospects should need it.”
Simplicity is one other important issue: “It additionally needs to be easy for the operator, as a result of if it’s not, they simply received’t use it. It doesn’t matter how nice the expertise is. Innovation and expertise is not only concerning the expertise, nevertheless it’s about that human interplay. The intersection of these two elements is critically essential.
This text first appeared within the June concern of iVT Worldwide
