Joel Honeyman, Bobcat’s vice chairman for international innovation, talks candidly in regards to 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 major capabilities – digging holes and shifting issues round
We meet Joel Honeyman, Bobcat’s international 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 car demonstration.
Because the skidsteers and monitor loaders that type the guts of the Bobcat lineup carry out unimaginable vehicular acrobatics to the delight of the crowds, Honeyman tells us in regards to the considering and modern processes behind these machines, in addition to revealing a number of 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 international innovation for over 9 years, however he began his profession within the firm’s coaching group in 1997, earlier than shifting into gross sales. “I really feel like I’ve a superb perspective on our prospects and what they’re in search of – what’s essential to them,” he says.
On the core of his ethos is not only 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 workforce 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. In step with the OEM’s ethos the applied sciences that had been first showcased on that machine should not merely good concepts, however at the moment are 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 essential for us. We take a look at plenty 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 signifies that if a machine is backing up and it senses an object, it’ll detect that and robotically 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 yr in direction of the top of 2026.”
The 62in large industrial mower will differ from residential robotic mowers acquainted in Europe. “Europe has plenty of Roomba-style, random mowers,” Honeyman says. “This one, although, you possibly can set a sample that isn’t random. This implies it may 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 utility. Mowers are already going that route.”
On monitor for autonomy
Whereas the brand new mower will likely be Bobcat’s first industrial, totally autonomous and cabless machine, it received’t be Bobcat’s first foray into autonomous techniques. Already out there 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 through a cellular utility.
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 may 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 characteristic of the AT450X is its means to function repeatedly by managing its personal energy wants through a battery-swapping system. When the battery runs low, it robotically returns to its residence base and a totally charged battery may be swapped out for the depleted one, which may 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 via digital developments.”
The collaboration with Agtonomy, which guarantees to yield additional improvements sooner or later, is a pure extension of distant techniques that Bobcat has been providing for its machines since 2019. These at the moment are 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 techniques,” says Honeyman. “We’re engaged on a gaming controller, which we’ve had plenty of requests for. Younger folks don’t need to simply sit within the machine, however they need to do building – so we need to mix gaming with that.” This might even someday 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 plenty of issues that act like autonomy that may possibly simply assist a present operator be higher, particularly new and novice operators.”
Electrification with goal
In the case of electrification, Bobcat’s T7X tracked loader, which is obtainable in the present day, is one thing of a market chief when it comes to going totally electrical and utterly hydraulic-free – changing not solely the engine with a battery but additionally fluid energy with electrical motors. Its companion, 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 must 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 perhaps?
“Sustainability is essential, but it surely has to return with another advantages as effectively, as a result of the shopper is making some trade-offs, like price and charging. So, you’ve received to offer them one thing somewhat extra. That’s why T7X is so common – prospects say, ‘I can get extra completed, and I can get it completed 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 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.”
In the end Honeyman takes a practical strategy – even whereas coping with a number of the most superior expertise out there, he doesn’t lose web site 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? Effectively, 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 reaching helpful duties extra effectively. He’s additionally in a position to deliver clear understanding to an accelerating fee of change. “It’s not that onerous,” he smiles.
The innovation course of
Joel Honeyman relies at Bobcat HQ in North Dakota however his international tasks take him all world wide. In notably Honeyman locations buyer suggestions on the coronary heart of the innovation course of, which entails many web site visits.
“We take out ideas in a short time to our prospects to get suggestions instantly,” he says. “We do highway journeys. In reality, my workforce is in Omaha, Nebraska, this week. Over three days we’re displaying totally different teams of shoppers a lot of new improvements that we’re engaged on.”
These periods assist prioritise growth efforts: “Possibly we are going to present them 10 various things after which we ask them for his or her prime three, and ask what they is perhaps keen to pay for them. We are able to’t fall in love with our personal thought. It’s received to have a goal, and prospects need to need it.”
Simplicity is one other important issue: “It additionally must 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 is not only in regards to the expertise, but it surely’s about that human interplay. The intersection of these two elements is critically essential.
This text first appeared within the June challenge of iVT Worldwide
