What role can hydrogen play in the decarbonization of off-highway vehicles? Hear about some of the case studies funded in the UK through the Advanced Propulsion Centre, along with insights on the technology development and supply chain opportunities.

What the audience will learn

• Examples of businesses that are making the transition
• Challenges in the supply chain
• Future trajectory of technology – H2 storage/FCEV/ICE

For off-highway, the CO2 reduction legislative roadmap is neither defined nor yet proposed. Looking to non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), the demands on power density, integration, range, robustness, up-time and package space all indicate the future need for energy-dense fuels. These demands offer potential for a more holistic approach including renewable fuels. Besides hydrogen, other sustainable fuels such as alcohols, renewable natural gas and paraffinic fuels could be explored. Caterpillar will give an overview covering the future drivers, needs and boundaries of the NRMM sector. The possibilities of adapting existing powertrains for alternative fuels will be presented and discussed.

What the audience will learn

• The challenges of CO2 reduction in the non-road mobile machinery sector
• How a lifeccyle benefit view compares the use of renewable fuels in a combustion system to that of battery electric and fuel cell applications
• Review of the different potential renewable fuels
• Development challenges of these renewable fuels
• How Caterpillar is overcoming these challenges

The technological push is becoming increasingly stronger with faster innovation cycles. Technology in agriculture is taking off rapidly: the current trend sees farmers using consumer technologies every day. Agricultural machines are becoming more efficient to boost farmers' productivity. Robotics and artificial intelligence allow for optimized land use, streamlining treatments and reducing the use of herbicides. Thanks to advanced 'Sense & Act' technology, which evaluates field conditions and adjusts the machine based on the detected parameters, the new sprayer, a result of the acquisition of Augmenta, is able to distinguish the soil (brown) from the growing plants (green), automatically spraying.

What the audience will learn

• The world of agriculture is changing rapidly
• Farmers need more reliable technological solutions to achieve higher productivity with sustainable resources
• How AI can support farmers' productivity
• How robotics can revolutionize farmers' habits
• The digitalization of the sector makes the agritech ecosystem more attractive to future generations

The presentation will provide an introduction to Bobcat's EV and innovation activities, with a summary of public projects to date. This will include innovation and R&D front-end challenges for procurement teams versus NPD project initiatives; the strategic procurement team's focus and contributions to front-end initiatives (innovation and R&D projects) to secure a smooth transfer to NDP project initiatives – lessons learned; supplier panel and OEM strategic approach needs for EV development to secure success within a niche market and fast-paced environment.

What the audience will learn

• Overview of Bobcat's main EV initiatives and focus to date
• Challenges and contributions from strategic sourcing into front-end activities related to EV development
• Bobcat lessons learned
• OEM and supplier strategic approach needed to secure EV business success

The presentation explores the current challenges and advances in electric mobility, focusing on motor controller efficiency. It evaluates the role of silicon carbide (SiC) technology in optimizing motor controller performance, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs). The discussion includes benchmarks of EV efficiency, energy loss analysis and comparisons between SiC and IGBT-based inverters. NX Technologies introduces its proprietary VarioSwitch motor control software as a competitive alternative, achieving SiC-like efficiency improvements with IGBT inverters with no extra hardware cost for the vehicle.

What the audience will learn

• How efficient current electric vehicles are: powertrain driving cycle efficiency is around 80% and this efficiency can be improved both with HW and SW
• SiC improves powertrain efficiency but SiC modules are 30-60% more expensive than IGBT power modules
• SiC cost curve will not reach IGBT cost. Producing SiC requires three or four times more energy and is 60% more carbon or emission intense
• There are electric motor techniques that can unlock extra efficiency with no extra cost for the vehicle
• Deploying this technology in vehicle production can unlock massive savings in cost and emissions for OEMs

Conventional hydraulic systems with a central power supply often have much potential for increasing energy efficiency. The use of more efficient components can already bring a significant improvement, while innovative system architectures offer greater potential. The technical possibilities are many and varied, with the ideal solution always requiring careful consideration of technical and commercial factors. The presentation will offer a case study based on the electrification of the working hydraulics of a telescopic handler.

What the audience will learn

• The working hydraulics of mobile machines are major energy consumers
• The use of more efficient components can already bring significant improvements
• Innovative system architectures offer the greatest potential
• Deciding on an architecture is not least a trade-off between cost and efficiency

Modern electric powertrain components generate extensive data, which can be logged by the machine control units and used for predictive maintenance. For example, inverters typically offer a vast number of signals for analysis, and battery management systems provide detailed information on battery status and health. However, expertise is required to collect and analyze this data effectively. Scheduling planned maintenance before a machine breaks down, while at the same time avoiding unnecessary maintenance, brings direct valuable benefits for the end users, machine owners and OEMs.

What the audience will learn

• Electric powertrain components as a data source
• The difficulties in data gathering
• The benefits of predictive maintenance

Almost every sector is pressured with tremendous emission reduction goals, up to complete elimination in inner-city applications. However, the current market situation with low volume and high variability is an obstacle for wide adoption of electrified machinery. A modular product approach offers a solution to optimize components for applications without cost penalties. This presentation will show how modular motors and inverters can offer efficiency optimization depending on the drive cycle of the final application, while offering fast time-to-market and minimized qualification and certification cost.

What the audience will learn

• Benefits of a modular motor concept: profiting from flexibility and scalability
• Level up: finding the best way to optimize components for efficiency and cost
• Challenges in drive parameterization: ways to a perfect setup

Optimized pulse patterns (a unique 'frequency-less' modulation scheme) combined with dead time compensation significantly reduce distortion and harmonics in the electromotor, bringing critical benefits in size, weight, cooling needs and NVH to the drivetrain. Implemented on a flexible and fully customizable silicon-carbide-based inverter platform, case studies are discussed to compare simulations with real-world results. Inverter solutions from the power electronics, over fully functional reference designs to control software, are presented.

What the audience will learn

• What are optimized pulse patterns and what benefits do they bring?
• OPP case study – simulations versus motor bench measurements
• A practical implementation of dead time compensation and the benefits
• DTC case study – simulations versus motor bench measurements
• Silicon carbide inverter solutions

Mining companies will electrify their operations by integrating renewable energy. Wind and solar, in combination with battery storage systems, will be part of future mines. This trend will influence the coming market for electrification solutions in mining. The presentation will show what kind of electrified equipment can be expected. In surface mining, there is potential for electrified dump trucks, mining drills and mining shovels. In underground mining, electrified loaders will play an important role. New electrified machines will offer opportunities for innovative suppliers. Autonomous technology will increase safety. Because of the available workforce, autonomy is requested. Electrification will support autonomy.

What the audience will learn

• How will future mines integrate renewable energy sources (solar and wind energy, hydrogen power) in off-grid mining operations?
• Electrifying mining operations will offer new opportunities, but what are the challenges for the different players in this business?
• Players in electrification of the mining business: the presentation will show OEMs and important suppliers and their innovations in mining
• What progress in electrification technology (e.g. battery storage and automation technology) will we see by 2030?
• How will autonomous technology change mining operations? What benefits will autonomous solutions have? What are the challenges?

The agricultural, construction and mining industries are facing very similar challenges: a constantly growing pressure on productivity, quality and ecological sustainability, with sparse production resources such as land, water and energy availability and shortage of well-educated labor. Driveblocks develops a scalable autonomy stack tailored to the specific technical and business needs of mobile machinery. Combining machine learning with a multidomain foundation model and a unique multimodal sensor fusion algorithm, we achieve superior performance in critical scenarios with ten times less data demand. Our modular AD stack and universal data model enable scaling to various industries.

What the audience will learn

• Pressure to increase productivity, labor shortage and safety are the main drivers making automation of mobile machinery a highly attractive business
• The technical challenge is the robust and reliable perception of the environment under real-world conditions
• In contrast to passenger car applications, mobile machinery is low volume and therefore requires a more universal, adoptable and data-efficient AD stack

Machine learning is revolutionizing autonomous machines by significantly increasing their efficiency, enabling them to adapt to new conditions and facilitating data-driven decision-making. These advances lead to smarter, more responsive systems that can optimize operations and enhance productivity. However, implementing machine learning in autonomous machines comes with its own set of challenges, including the complexity of developing robust algorithms and ensuring safety and reliability. Addressing these challenges is crucial for maximizing the benefits of machine learning in autonomous systems.

What the audience will learn

• How machine learning can simplify the operation of vehicles, enabling a wider labor market, more productivity and a safer working environment
• How machine learning can transform data into insights that support better management of site operations
• How machine learning systems are developed and how they can be scaled across vehicles and new conditions to support business growth
• How with all its advantages, machine learning does have limitations and particular considerations for safety that can be mitigated with proper methods

Recent technological advances make it easier to adopt autonomy in heavy equipment, yet challenges remain. Autonomous off-road vehicles must perform reliably in rugged environments and demanding tasks, requiring collaboration across diverse teams. Simulations play a crucial role in reducing risks, refining algorithms and enhancing performance. This presentation discusses solutions for off-road autonomy across construction sites, open-pit mines and farms. Topics include heavy equipment physical modeling, 3D simulation using the Unreal game engine, creating traversable regions, planning excavator trajectories and controlling haul truck paths. Discover how integrated workflows improve design, testing and collaboration, driving smarter solutions for heavy equipment across industries.

What the audience will learn

• Validate off-road vehicle performance through physical modeling and simulation
• Create traversable regions for rugged terrains and plan haul truck paths
• Use sensor fusion for excavator trajectory planning and collision avoidance
• Conduct 3D photorealistic scenario simulations with Unreal Engine for virtual testing
• Enhance design, testing and collaboration with integrated workflows using unified models

The presentation shows how Kalmar has solved IoT connected machine data visualization, data analysis and advanced data driver challenges. It shows Kalmar's IoT data flow architecture and UX/UI for traditional cargo handling machines such as reach stackers and straddle carriers. It then takes the audience to the electric machines and charger data ingestion and visualization. It talks about the commonalities and differences in traditional and electric machine data visualizations, feedback and experiences from customers.

What the audience will learn

• Modern high-level architecture of IoT data pipeline for off-road vehicles
• How Kalmar is visualizing, analyzing and comparing the data for cargo handling machines
• How Kalmar has solved the electric machines and charger data visualization challenges

Adding intuitive human-machine interface (HMI) systems into mobile machinery introduces groundbreaking operator assistance functionalities. Intuitive HMI enables context-sensitive decision support, adaptive user interfaces and automated diagnostics. Additionally, it helps predict maintenance needs, minimizing downtime. This synergy of advanced HMI technologies revolutionizes human-machine interaction, enhancing the efficiency, safety and reliability of mobile machinery, a topic extensively covered in this presentation.

What the audience will learn

• Advantages of embedded HMI systems
• Intuitive HMI design
• Interoperational on construction site through HMI
• Adding innovation via Multiline; BirdView and AI
• HMI - server-client - architecture possibilities

Find out how good UX and UI design in the HMI sector makes industrial machines not only easier to operate but also attractive and future-oriented. The presentation shows how intuitive operating concepts and aesthetic design inspire users and give companies a decisive competitive advantage. You will learn how our focus on user-centered and attractive design supports innovation, productivity and market perception. Discover why user-centered design not only increases efficiency but also enhances machines emotionally and equips them for the market of the future.

What the audience will learn

• Why UX and UI are crucial for market attractiveness and innovation
• How intuitive UI design increases usability and productivity
• How aesthetic HMI design creates emotional engagement and user satisfaction
• Success stories: UX and UI as a competitive advantage in industry
• Tips for designing modern, intuitive and attractive interfaces

This presentation disseminates the results of the EU-funded THEIA-XR R&D project, which explored and applied a set of extended reality (XR) technologies based on systematical use case analysis of work procedures in snow groomer, reach stacker and excavator operation. We prototypically iterated XR solutions that involve available digital data, novel sensors, projection, ambient light feedback, video augmentation and external displays to explore where XR technologies can help operators to be faster and more accurate, and increase the use of digital data and assistive functions. This presentation summarizes our first results and insights on effectively improving machine operation through XR technologies.

What the audience will learn

• Apply XR technologies in futureproof HMI
• Improve perception of digital information through XR interaction
• Effective design of XR information presentation
• Consideration of operators’ work routines and attention patterns in XR HMI

European Innovation Council EIC is the EU's €10bn flagship innovation funding instrument. As a program manager for architecture engineering and construction, Franc Mouwen supports the EIC in shaping its portfolio in the construction domain, The industrial vehicles sector plays an important role in the ambition of the EU to be a leader in decarbonization (European Green Deal), digitalization, automation and AI.

What the audience will learn

• How EIC supports deep-tech innovation funding in the EU
• How EIC supports innovators in the industrial vehicle ecosystem
• How corporates and investors in the industrial vehicle ecosystem can support shaping the EIC

Automation is vital for agriculture, yet smaller growers struggle to compete as large-scale farms adopt advanced technologies. Autopickr is transforming this landscape with Robotics as a Service (RaaS), offering affordable, flexible access to cutting-edge robotics for hand-picked crops like asparagus. Inspired by historical threshing machine rentals, Autopickr revives this model, enabling small growers to optimize harvesting without the burden of ownership costs. This presentation explores how RaaS empowers growers of all sizes, strengthens the food supply chain and ensures a sustainable future for agriculture by bridging the gap between innovation and accessibility.

What the audience will learn

• The role of robotics in agriculture
• Challenges for small growers
• The Robotics as a Service (RaaS) model
• Historical parallels in agriculture supply chains
• A vision for sustainable farming

Volvo CE is driving innovation in construction, developing electric machines while improving conventional ones. Ahcène Nedjimi will highlight how Volvo CE supports customers at every stage of their electrification journey, offering battery electric and conventional machines. He will explain how a multitechnology approach supports diverse industry needs while enabling a transition to cleaner, more efficient work sites. Real-world examples will showcase electrification’s benefits – improving efficiency, reducing emissions and driving sustainability. Nedjimi will also address key challenges like battery advancements and infrastructure readiness. To scale electromobility and shape construction’s future, strong collaboration with customers, policymakers and industry leaders is essential.

What the audience will learn

• Volvo CE's commitment to the global climate goals of the Paris agreement
• 30% of all product launches across the portfolio are new models – demonstrating a commitment to meeting evolving customer needs
• Volvo CE's committment to providing both battery electric and diesel machines, supporting customers at every stage of their electrification journey
• Real-world examples of how electrification is improving efficiency and reducing emissions, along with insights into overcoming challenges
• The importance of collaboration with partners and decision-makers to drive the future of electromobility

Software must rapidly become the defining element of off-highway machinery, driving complexity in system integration, functional safety and lifecycle management. This session explores the transition in electronic and software architectures, and how code will be developed and managed through lifecycles. Key topics include functional safety, connectivity and balancing in-house development with third-party software. As machines become more software-defined, OEMs must adopt a system-level approach to maintain control over performance, safety and regulatory compliance. This presentation provides a roadmap for navigating the off-highway industry's software-driven transformation.

What the audience will learn

• The customer expectations that will drive a software explosion in off-highway vehicles
• The limitations of existing control and software archtectures
• The special challenges for off-highway machines – functional safety, fragmentation
• Where future software will be developed: in-house, open source, third party

Modern off-highway vehicles rely on a variety of advanced software systems that are critical for seamless operation. From touch displays to engine control units, GPS navigation and telematics, they all contain software that needs to be updated to ensure these systems remain secure, efficient and compliant with evolving regulatory standards. Regulations like NIS2, UNECE R155 and UNECE R156 now place stringent requirements on cybersecurity, software management and vehicle updates, making effective update strategies a cornerstone of operational success. The presentation will give an overview of current embedded update technologies and identify important practices for managing software updates.

What the audience will learn

• Why we need software updates
• Overview of NIS2 and R156/R155 requirements
• Embedded system software update technologies
• How to ensure robust and secure updates
• Fleet management and staging

The development of autonomous machines is changing the way we interact with them and requires new development methods and approaches. The evolution is shifting from traditional algorithms and research to simulation and AI-based methods. High-performance hardware enables sensor fusion and neural networks to work in tandem, thereby increasing autonomy and task processing capabilities. To maintain efficiency when training neural networks, a simulation-based approach is imperative. This approach offers distinct advantages, including monitoring, testing and continuous improvement using digital twins. As experts in digitalization, we support this with comprehensive services and capabilities ranging from simulators to digital lifecycle management.

What the audience will learn

• The needed steps for developing and maintaining autonomous systems. The important differences between traditional development and simulation
• How the evaluation and fusion of sensors can be designed efficiently and reliably right from the development stage
• The main benefits of digital twins and simulation-based approaches to the development of autonomous systems

As digitalization transforms mobile machinery, safeguarding data and operational integrity is critical. But achieving robust cybersecurity doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. This session will present innovative approaches to retrofitting existing vehicle architectures with advanced cybersecurity measures. Through a compelling case study of a successful OEM implementation, attendees will gain actionable insights into how to enhance system security while minimizing disruption and cost. Learn how proven solutions can protect your equipment against cyber threats without the need for a complete system redesign.

What the audience will learn

• Key threats to connected systems and practical solutions to mitigate them
• How to retrofit existing electrical architectures with advanced cybersecurity measures
• Real-world insights from a successful OEM case study
• Actionable steps to futureproof operational integrity in digitalized machinery

The requirements for cybersecurity in industrial vehicle technology are increasing and becoming mandatory with the EU Cyber Resilience Act, as well as ISO 21434. The presentation will show how to successfully negotiate the upcoming challenges and prepare products and organizations for the future.

What the audience will learn

• Risk analysis in industrial cybersecurity
• How to build a cybersecurity management system
• Importance of distributed development in cybersecurity
• How to manage cybersecurity monitoring of products and vulnerability management
• How to prepare for certification

Sensmore brings embodied intelligence to heavy machinery. We pioneer the development of embodied AI and VLAM for heavy machinery in mining and construction. Our products are deployed at the sites of the world's largest mining and building material companies, delivering capabilities that range from operator assistance to full autonomy.

What the audience will learn

• End-to-end learning in the physical world
• VLAM for intelligent reasoning in robotics
• Deployment stories at real customers

This white paper aims to explore the potential impact AI (Artificial Intelligence) on the power electronics industry for the industrial vehicle sector as off-road vehicles become more electrified. AI is set to disrupt many sectors, however in the power electronics sector advances in AI is set to enable improved design and optimisation, predictive maintenance, fault detection and diagnostics, energy efficiency and performance tuning, automation in manufacturing, integration with smart grids and IoT, enhanced simulation modelling and design for sustainability. This white paper aims to explore each of these and their direct impact within the industrial vehicle sector.

What the audience will learn

• How AI (Artificial Intelligence) can be applied in power electronics.
• What impact AI (Artificial Intelligence) will have for power electronics in the industrial vehicle sector?
• AI enabled power electronics predictive maintenance, fault detection and diagnostics for the industrial vehicle sector.
• AI enabled power electronics energy efficiency and performance tuning for the industrial vehicle sector.
• AI enabled power electronics enhanced simulation, modelling and design for sustainability for the industrial vehicle sector.

After more than two years of extensive testing and validation, Vermeer launched its new D20x22 S3E electric horizontal drill. The challenges of electrification are numerous for the demanding applications of Vermeer machines: to capitalize as much as possible on each development; to deliver in various regions, working in the cold winter of Iowa or Northern Europe up to the hot summer of South Europe or the Middle East; and to deliver maximum power in a limited space. The presentation will explain Vermeer’s reasoning for selecting Wattalps’ innovative immersion cooling technology, before introducing the battery validation process.

What the audience will learn

• The selection of a battery pack maker to electrify series production of off-road equipment
• The validation process of a battery electric driller
• Lessons learned from a two-year validation process
• The effects of battery thermal management on machine productivity
• The importance of cooperation between the battery pack maker and machine manufacturer

Electrically powered construction machinery is emission free and sustainable if charged using green energy resources such solar and wind energy. In this case study, a solar-powered charging hub is presented, for overnight charging of construction machinery, from crawler cranes and wheel loaders to rollers. The presentation will cover sustainable charging of electric construction machinery, a DC charging hub with mobile solar feeding, and power congestion management inside the charging hub.

What the audience will learn

• Sustainable charging of electric construction machinery
• DC charging hub with mobile solar feeding
• Power congestion management inside the charging hub

This presentation focuses on optimizing and validating the performance of a 20-ton wheel loader through electrification by leveraging a virtual engineering workflow. The workflow encompasses powertrain pre-sizing, detailed design and integration, and online verification and validation, for example through an operator-in-the-loop simulator. This approach minimizes physical prototyping, accelerates and streamlines development cycles and provides solutions for energy and thermal challenges while enhancing machine performance.

What the audience will learn

• Leverage a virtual engineering workflow to speed up the product development process and make it more robust
• Powertrain sizing optimization: use optimization techniques to meet high-level requirements for electrification
• Reduced order modeling techniques: leverage test, CFD and FEA data to feed system simulation platform
• Integrate control system SW: verify control functions and machine performances through operator-in-the-loop techniques

Electrification of off-highway equipment such as excavators presents unique challenges, particularly regarding system efficiency. Low efficiency necessitates larger battery packs to ensure full-day operation. Orion Research has identified that, in conventional excavators, up to 80% of hydraulic energy is lost as heat. This talk explores the transformative potential of a modular, decentralized electrohydraulic drivetrain to dramatically enhance efficiency, extend operational range and reduce battery size. We will share key insights gained from the development and testing of a prototype electrohydraulic system integrated with an excavator boom, highlighting its implications for the future of sustainable construction equipment.

What the audience will learn

• Learn how conventional excavators lose up to 80% of hydraulic energy as heat, affecting efficiency and electrification viability
• Discover the advantages of modular, decentralized electrohydraulic systems for off-highway equipment
• Explore how innovative drivetrains improve efficiency, reduce energy loss and extend operational range for electric machinery
• Understand how improved system efficiency can minimize battery size, lowering costs and enabling practical electrification
• Gain insights from the development of a prototype electrohydraulic system integrated with an excavator boom