Deere Adds SmartDetect Digital Obstacle Detection for Wheel Loaders (Video)
When triggered, SmartDetect Digital sends near real-time alerts with photos and videos of the incident to keep managers aware...
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Wheel loaders spend about 40% of their time in reverse and subsequently experience the most machine-to-machine, machine-to-object and machine-to-individual collisions on the jobsite.
To help jobsite managers enhance their safety programs, John Deere is expanding its SmartDetect obstacle awareness technology with SmartDetect Digital, a digital license component that sends notifications in near real-time when an incident occurs.
The optional SmartDetect technology for select medium and large wheel loaders offers audible and visual alerts when objects, including bystanders, are detected behind the loader. Warnings escalate as the machine gets closer to objects. The system builds off Deere’s Advanced Vision System and Advanced Object Detection System. It includes a G5 universal display and a steering camera on the rear of the machine for added depth perception.
With the addition of SmartDetect Digital, jobsite managers can respond more efficiently to jobsite layout and traffic, Deere says.
To see and hear SmartDetect in action on a 744 X-Tier wheel loader, check out our video below from Deere’s 2025 Construction Field Days.
Deere senior product manager Nathan Demski notes that the bystander alarm sounds different from the traditional backup alarm. “Its intent is to get your attention and to look up and say, ‘I’m somewhere I shouldn’t be. I need to get out of the way.’”
SmartDetect Digital takes SmartDetect capabilities one step further by integrating with the John Deere Operations Center.
Once the system is triggered, a near-real-time alert is sent to John Deere Operations Center. A near-miss alert includes images and videos of the incident, the operator, the machine and the time of day. The report can be sent via text or email to inform all personnel of potential safety risks. Digital documentation of the event is stored in Operations Center for 90 days. Owners can be alerted if employees mute or disable the system.
Additional features include:
- Weekly Safety Summaries: Jobsite managers receive weekly reports on SmartDetect technology usage and event activity, which provide insights into how the system is performing and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Heat Map Analytics: The system offers customers event heat maps to optimize jobsite layout and supports trend analysis for improved jobsite decision-making and risk management.
- Mobile App: Operators and managers can access near real-time data and insights via a mobile app.
Demski notes that many customers are using the technology for standup safety meetings, jobsite layout considerations and as a liability safety net on sites with high pedestrian traffic, such as college campuses.
SmartDetect Digital is available for mid-size wheel loaders manufactured after March 2023, including the following P-Tier models: 444, 524, 544, 624, 644, 724, and the 644 X-Tier. It is also available for the following large loaders manufactured after November 2022: 744, 824, 844P, 904 P-Tier models and 744 and 824 X-Tier models.
