JTC Corporation (JTC) and Kajima Corporation (Kajima), Japan’s leading construction company, have launched the first pilot project to explore the use of autonomous heavy construction equipment in Singapore.
Held at Jurong Innovation District, these autonomous machines, starting with excavators and compactors, will be tested at the Bulim Autonomous Yard (BAY), JTC’s sandbox for validating autonomous construction equipment under real site conditions. Together with the Public Sector Science & Technology Policy & Plans Office (S&TPPO) and the Housing & Development Board (HDB), this pilot will test how these machines can ease Singapore’s construction manpower constraints and improve safety.
Under the trial, an operator assigns tasks and sets virtual geographic boundaries (geofencing) for each autonomous construction machine. Using sensors and artificial intelligence, the machine then carries out the tasks independently, without an operator in the cabin or elsewhere. The activities are monitored remotely by staff who will intervene whenever an issue occurs. JTC is targeting a reduction of operator manpower by half, with one operator overseeing two machines.
The pilot will draw on technologies from multiple technology partners. To automate digging, the excavator uses a retrofit kit from Gravis Robotics, a Zurich-based startup that develops autonomous software and hardware for earthmoving equipment. Similarly, the compactor runs on Kajima’s A4CSEL, its first deployment outside Japan.
Mr Calvin Chung, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Engineering & Operations Group, JTC, said: “Adding more manpower is not a sustainable way to meet Singapore’s future construction needs. JTC has a pipeline of at least 800 hectares of earthworks projects over the next five years. If the pilot succeeds, we will deploy autonomous heavy construction equipment across suitable projects in our pipeline and support wider industry adoption.”
Arising from the BAY trials, JTC is working with Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to develop operating guidelines and safeguards to support industry-wide deployment while prioritising human safety. These include geofencing to keep machines within designated areas, LiDAR sensors to detect humans and obstacles, and emergency-stop controls on site and in the control room.
JTC and Kajima will also explore extending the trial to autonomous bulldozers and dump trucks in 2027, creating a coordinated fleet of machines. Beyond the pilot, JTC will be collaborating with public agencies, contractors, equipment providers, research institutions, and technology companies to conduct more autonomous construction trials at the BAY sandbox.
[Source: JTC Corporation]
