Joel Honeyman, Bobcat’s vp for international innovation, talks candidly concerning the groundbreaking new expertise the OEM is engaged on and explains why, nevertheless superior the machine is, it’s essential by no means to lose sight of its main features – 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 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 monitor loaders that kind the center of the Bobcat lineup carry out unimaginable vehicular acrobatics to the delight of the crowds, Honeyman tells us concerning the considering and progressive processes behind these machines, in addition to revealing a few of 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 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 very good perspective on our clients and what they’re searching for – what’s essential to them,” he says.
On the core of his ethos isn’t just dreaming up progressive 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.”
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 are usually 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 have a look at quite a lot 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 entails 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 tip of 2026.”
The 62in large industrial mower will differ from residential robotic mowers acquainted in Europe. “Europe has quite a lot of Roomba-style, random mowers,” Honeyman says. “This one, although, you possibly can set a sample that isn’t random. This implies it will 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 utility. Mowers are already going that route.”
On monitor for autonomy
Whereas the brand new mower will likely be Bobcat’s first industrial, absolutely autonomous and cabless machine, it gained’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 will possibly study and react to its surroundings – distinguishing crop stems from weeds for exact spraying and detecting objects that require operation to cease.
An progressive 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 dwelling base and a completely charged battery could be swapped out for the depleted one, which might in flip be placed on cost.
The AT450X goals to handle 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 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 deal with a scarcity in employees.
“We’re including some totally different options to distant techniques,” says Honeyman. “We’re engaged on a gaming controller, which we’ve had quite a lot of requests for. Younger individuals don’t wish to simply sit within the machine, however they wish to do building – so we wish 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 quite a lot of issues that act like autonomy that may perhaps simply assist a present operator be higher, particularly new and novice operators.”
Electrification with objective
In relation to electrification, Bobcat’s T7X tracked loader, which is offered immediately, is one thing of a market chief when it comes to going absolutely electrical and fully hydraulic-free – changing not solely the engine with a battery but in addition 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 is likely to be?
“Sustainability is essential, however it has to return with another advantages as effectively, as a result of the client 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 well-liked – clients 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 steadiness with different applied sciences. However we’ve been engaged on all of it, so I be ok with it.”
Finally Honeyman takes a realistic strategy – even whereas coping with a few of the most superior expertise out there, he doesn’t lose website of the identical easy objectives that every 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 basically what they’re all doing. So, what do they need? Nicely, they wish to dig the outlet quicker 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 carry clear understanding to an accelerating charge of change. “It’s not that arduous,” he smiles.
The innovation course of
Joel Honeyman relies at Bobcat HQ in North Dakota however his international duties take him all world wide. 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 straight away,” he says. “We do street journeys. Actually, my group is in Omaha, Nebraska, this week. Over three days we’re displaying totally different teams of consumers plenty of new improvements that we’re engaged on.”
These periods assist prioritise improvement efforts: “Perhaps 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 likely to be prepared to pay for them. We will’t fall in love with our personal concept. It’s received to have a objective, and clients need to need it.”
Simplicity is one other vital issue: “It additionally needs to be easy for the operator, as a result of if it’s not, they simply gained’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 elements is critically essential.
This text first appeared within the June situation of iVT Worldwide
