John Deere goes for precision at ConExpo

In its largest ever ConExpo-Con/Agg display, consisting of 80,000 sq. ft. of exhibit area shared with its subsidiary, the Wirtgen Group, John Deere will focus on its latest precision solutions for the construction industry. These include advanced vision and object detection solutions, SmartWeigh, standard EZ Grade on P-Tier small dozers and various other grade management and automation solutions.

According to the company, select models of John Deere production and utility class loaders can be equipped with new vision and object detection technology.

Object Detection technology is paired with a high-resolution camera and a dedicated display to enhance the operating experience and increase situational awareness, John Deere said. Vehicle trajectory logic technology overlays the projected vehicle reverse path to illustrate where the vehicle will move next.

The Advanced Vision System, which the company said is an industry first, integrates two digital cameras on the sideview mirror frames for increased visibility to the sides of the machine. An integrated view of all cameras on the in-cab display helps to increase the operator’s spatial awareness with wider views and enhanced clarity, said John Deere.

With SmartDetect with Assist, the machine will automatically stop before coming into contact with a person. (Illustration: John Deere)

SmartDetect technology combines cameras and machine learning. It alerts operators when an object enters the machine’s projected travel path and provides unique detection alerts for people in the camera’s entire field of view. With SmartDetect with Assist, the machine will automatically stop before coming into contact with a person, John Deere noted.

Also on display will be SmartWeigh, which is now offered on the full lineup of P and X-Tier utility wheel loaders and will soon be available on production-size P-Tier models. The payload weighing system is designed to deliver increased accuracy, dynamic weighing capabilities and ease of calibration to improve cycle times when loading trucks or processing plants. As part of the SmartWeigh System, dynamic bucket weighing technology allows bucket capture height to be set anywhere between 15% to 90% of boom height and at any boom speed.

Auto Level technology, which John Deere said offers near-perfect parallelism throughout the entire bucket or fork raise and lower cycle +/- 2°, is now also available on the P-Tier and X-Tier wheel loader models.

SmartWeigh is now offered on the full lineup of P and X-Tier utility wheel loaders. (Photo: John Deere)

A full portfolio of Grade Management solutions will also be on hand, including EZ Grade technology, now standard on John Deere small dozers with EH controls as well as the SmartGrade 333 P-Tier compact track loader (also on display). In addition, 2D slope control technology is now available for the full lineup of small dozers.

In addition to technology, a total of 68 machines from both Deere and Wirtgen will be displayed, with 36 “world premieres” of new equipment planned across the construction, roadbuilding and compact construction segments. This will include nine machines with electric or hybrid technology.

See John Deere in ConExpo booths S5020 (Silver Lot) and W40844 (West Hall)