Joel Honeyman, Bobcat’s vp 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 necessary by no means to lose sight of its major capabilities – 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 by means of the glass doorways onto the balcony we nonetheless can see, in addition to hear, the spectacular Bobcat car demonstration.
Because the skidsteers and observe loaders that kind the guts of the Bobcat lineup carry out unimaginable vehicular acrobatics to the delight of the crowds, Honeyman tells us concerning the considering and modern processes behind these machines, in addition to revealing among the OEM’s plans for the long run.
With 28 years of expertise at Bobcat, Honeyman is aware of the OEM in addition to anybody. He has been vp 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 a superb perspective on our clients and what they’re on the lookout for – what’s necessary to them,” he says.
On the core of his ethos isn’t just dreaming up modern ideas, however constructing them and getting ready the expertise for the market he is aware of so effectively. “What we do is, we make issues plausible. That’s the primary factor,” he says. “I’d put our group up towards anyone’s round, only for taking an idea and making it plausible, not only a PowerPoint presentation, however bodily with the ability to current one thing as a possible answer.”
Industrial improvements
One eye-catching idea, and former iVT cowl star, is Bobcat’s cabless Rogue X, which was first unveiled at ConExpo in 2023. In step with the OEM’s ethos the applied sciences that have been first showcased on that machine aren’t merely good concepts, however are actually truly discovering their means into manufacturing autos.
“That car 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 necessary 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 are able to apply to our present merchandise?’ The system implies that if a machine is backing up and it senses an object, it can detect that and mechanically cease.”
A second main innovation for the long run includes autonomous expertise for landscaping: “We’re going to have an autonomous zero-turn mower in the US as a restricted launch subsequent 12 months in the direction of the top of 2026.”
The 62in huge 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 necessary 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 path.”
On observe for autonomy
Whereas the brand new mower will probably be Bobcat’s first industrial, totally autonomous and cabless machine, it received’t be Bobcat’s first foray into autonomous methods. Already obtainable is the battery electrical articulating tractor, the AT450X which was unveiled at CES in 2024 and might function in handbook, distant or autonomous mode, all managed through a cell software.
Developed as a part of an ongoing collaboration with San Francisco startup, Agtonomy, the battery-powered AT450X is designed particularly for compact purposes like vineyards and orchards. Utilizing AI, it could possibly find out about and react to its atmosphere – distinguishing crop stems from weeds for exact spraying and detecting objects that require operation to cease.
An modern function of the AT450X is its potential to function repeatedly by managing its personal energy wants through a battery-swapping system. When the battery runs low, it mechanically returns to its house base and a completely charged battery will 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 situations,” says Honeyman. “Options just like the AT450X assist make farming significantly extra sustainable and environment friendly by means of digital developments.”
The collaboration with Agtonomy, which guarantees to yield additional improvements sooner or later, is a pure extension of distant methods that Bobcat has been providing for its machines since 2019. These are actually evolving, too, and in such a means that would additionally assist to sort out a scarcity in staff.
“We’re including some totally different options to distant methods,” says Honeyman. “We’re engaged on a gaming controller, which we’ve had a variety of requests for. Younger individuals don’t wish to simply sit within the machine, however they wish to do development – so we want to mix gaming with that.” This might even in the future 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 perhaps simply assist a present operator be higher, particularly new and novice operators.”
Electrification with function
On the subject of electrification, Bobcat’s T7X tracked loader, which is out there at this time, is one thing of a market chief by way of going totally electrical and fully 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 believe 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 is likely to be?
“Sustainability is necessary, however it has to come back with another advantages as effectively, as a result of the client is making some trade-offs, like value and charging. So, you’ve received to provide them one thing somewhat extra. That’s why T7X is so widespread – clients say, ‘I can get extra finished, and I can get it finished far more comfortably, with out noise.’”
Wanting forward Honeyman sees the three megatrends of electrification, connectivity and automation converging: “Whereas three or 4 years in the past, there was an enormous deal with EVs, now we’re seeing extra steadiness with different applied sciences. However we’ve been engaged on all of it, so I be ok with it.”
Finally Honeyman takes a practical method – even whereas coping with among the most superior expertise obtainable, he doesn’t lose website of the identical easy targets that each one Bobcat clients have. “All our clients dig holes and transfer supplies,” he says. “They do it with totally different supplies and machines, however that’s primarily what they’re all doing. So, what do they need? Properly, they wish to dig the outlet sooner and extra precisely. Or they wish to transfer issues safely, and extra comfortably.”
Damaged down like this Honeyman is ready 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 in a position to deliver clear understanding to an accelerating fee of change. “It’s not that arduous,” he smiles.
The innovation course of
Joel Honeyman relies at Bobcat HQ in North Dakota however his world obligations take him all around the globe. 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 clients to get suggestions immediately,” he says. “We do highway journeys. The truth is, my group is in Omaha, Nebraska, this week. Over three days we’re displaying totally different teams of shoppers plenty of new improvements that we’re engaged on.”
These classes assist prioritise improvement efforts: “Possibly we are going to present them 10 various things after which we ask them for his or her high three, and ask what they is likely to be prepared to pay for them. We are able to’t fall in love with our personal concept. It’s received to have a function, and clients need to 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 only received’t use it. It doesn’t matter how nice the expertise is. Innovation and expertise isn’t just concerning the expertise, however it’s about that human interplay. The intersection of these two parts is critically necessary.
This text first appeared within the June challenge of iVT Worldwide
