Hyundai Construction Equipment, at bauma 2022, is offering booth visitors a first-hand look at its XiteCloud technology offering, which wraps its construction equipment with digitally-provisioned services for construction site management, machine guidance, site safety and real-time diagnostics and preventative maintenance.
While the more advanced of these capabilities are not available in North America yet, if Hyundai does release them here, the offering would be playing in an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) aftermarket services technology space with strong offerings from Caterpillar, Komatsu and other vendors and a thriving independent software vendor market offering telematics and field productivity software.
Rationalizing Doosan Acquisition
Doosan had in 2019 launched XiteCloud features to integrate construction drone reality capture into construction workflows, reducing surveying time. This same model created by drone photogrammetry and other sources can be used to visually manage equipment and construction operations. Then in August of 2021, Hyundai purchased Doosan. This functionality now becomes the core of an ambitious service offering, and was the focus of the Future Zone in the Hyundai exhibit. Here, Hyundai will demonstrate:
Hi SITE construction site management using digital analysis and visualization
Hi ASSIST machine guidance and control systems to increase productivity
Hi DETECT site safety and operation
Hi CARE real-time diagnostics and preventative maintenance
Hi SITE
Hyundai’s Hi SITE system is a construction site management tool, using Hyundai Group’s XiteCloud to power digital analysis and visualization of projects. The system takes inputs from a range of sources, including drone surveys and traditional construction drawings into a single version of the truth for operational planning, estimation, quantity surveying and progress tracking. Hi SITE is currently commercially available in the South Korean market and is being assessed for potential expansion into European construction sectors.
Hi ASSIST
Hyundai’s Hi ASSIST machine guidance and machine control systems have been developed with industry-leading provider Trimble Earthworks. The systems can be used to provide two-dimensional guidance and control, or three-dimensional machine control of Hyundai’s A-Series excavators.
HCE has also developed a range of remote-control operating solutions, that provide increased customer safety and efficiency in hazardous operating conditions. There are currently three solutions under development, including a mobile app, a remote-control console and a full remote-control station.
Hi DETECT
Hi DETECT is part of Hyundai’s safety technology, detecting the environment surrounding a working machine, to issue warnings to the operator and prevent workplace accidents. The system, which protects both workers on site and other construction assets, is developing into an active safety technology, using artificial intelligence to recognize and control machine operations.
The system incorporates RDS (Rear Detection System) that uses radar to detect objects and automatically warn the driver of potential impact. This proven technology is not influenced by weather or light, so it can be used at all times in all site conditions.
Hyundai’s SGS (Smart Guard System) is a smart obstacle detection technology that uses sensors around the machine with a deep learning function. The system emits visual and audible warnings when it detects a person within the path of the machine.
HI Site and HI ASSIST have not been released to market yet, but sources say HI CARE offering may simply be a natural uplift of Hyundai’s existing Hi Mate offering which is available in the US now. Hi Detect rear and obstacle detection technology is available in the US.
