DEVELON Bets on Excavators That Can Stop Themselves

Six cameras, AI people recognition and three radars on the Series 9 crawler excavators point to anti-collision systems becoming a jobsite requirement

Collisions between excavators and people on foot remain one of the most serious risks on any construction site. Given the size and weight of the machines, the outcome is often critical and can be fatal. DEVELON’s answer, now available on its Series 9 crawler excavators, is to move safety technology from warning the operator to intervening when a hazard gets too close.

“Collisions with pedestrians are generally the most dangerous accidents,” said Stephane Dieu, Product Manager for DEVELON Excavators in Europe. “For me, this is probably the biggest safety issue.”

The limits of what an operator can see

Excavators routinely work near ground personnel, other machines and temporary structures, often in tight spaces with changing traffic patterns. Large contractors usually rely on detailed procedures and exclusion zones, while smaller businesses may have fewer resources and older fleets. Rules reduce exposure, but they cannot remove every unpredictable movement.

Cab design has improved visibility, yet no cab can cover every angle around a large machine in motion. “The operator cannot see everything on the right-hand side of an excavator, for example,” Dieu said. Cameras help, he added, but rain, winter conditions or dust mean a camera image alone cannot be relied on in every situation. Fatigue, poor weather and distraction narrow the margin further.

From warning to intervention

Much construction safety technology has so far been passive: it shows a picture or sounds an alarm and leaves the operator to judge the risk. DEVELON sees the industry following the automotive sector, where cars can detect a vehicle in a blind spot and, in some circumstances, stop on their own.

“There is real demand for systems that support the operator, because even the best operator cannot be fully concentrated for eight hours every day,” Dieu said.

On the Series 9 range, DEVELON’s Smart All-Around View Monitoring system with people recognition is now standard. The E-Stop system is offered as an option and adds the ability to intervene. Six high-definition cameras create a combined all-round image, with software that distinguishes people from other objects, while three radar sensors measure distance across 330 degrees around the machine, covering the main blind spots. When a hazard reaches a defined threshold, the system steps in. It does not replace operator judgement or site controls, but it offers a last chance to break the chain of events that leads to an accident.

Accepted in the field

A safety system that triggers too often disrupts cycles and pushes operators to find workarounds. DEVELON tested E-Stop with contractors and operators in France, and the feedback Dieu values most is that the system fades into the background during normal work.

“After a week, the operator told us, ‘I don’t even think about it because it doesn’t disturb the way I work. I can work as usual, but I know the machine is watching and will help me if necessary,'” he said. The external warning sound also has an effect outside the cab, making an otherwise invisible boundary very real for people on foot.

The business case

Beyond the human cost, a serious accident can stop a project, damage equipment, trigger an investigation and raise insurance exposure. A strong safety record, on the other hand, supports prequalification for complex work.

“If a system prevents even one serious incident, the avoided cost can outweigh the investment across many machines,” Dieu said. DEVELON expects rental companies and large contractors to lead adoption by standardising requirements across their fleets. In France, industry-led testing of anti-collision systems has already turned the topic into a practical discussion about recognition accuracy, stopping behaviour and operator acceptance.

Dieu expects the shift to accelerate. “My own view is that anti-collision systems will become a standard jobsite requirement within the next five to ten years,” he said. “Just as some projects now specify 3D machine control, they may specify an anti-collision system.” With higher volumes, he added, costs should fall and the technology should spread to more machines.

DEVELON Bets on Excavators That Can Stop Themselves published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.