First came self-driving cars. Now, Waymo veterans are building autonomous construction equipment.
Bedrock Robotics said its excavators equipped with its autonomous AI system are working without human operators on three sites in Texas and Nevada.
Waymo veterans are applying their autonomous driving expertise to the construction industry, developing autonomous excavators for commercial sites in Texas and Nevada. The autonomous excavators are now operating without human operators, digging and moving earth on multiple projects. The appeal of automating construction is significant, as the industry faces labor shortages, high worker death rates, and chronic delays.
More than 40% of the construction workforce is projected to retire by 2031. Bedrock Robotics, founded in 2024, is automating construction equipment with its autonomous AI system, initially focusing on excavators. Bedrock's cofounder and CTO, Kevin Peterson, draws parallels between Waymo's early autonomous car days and Bedrock's current progress.
Bedrock's technology is in the early stages, working only on excavators for now, with plans to expand to other equipment types. However, the limited test nature and challenges in adapting the technology to changing construction site conditions remain. Competitors include startups like Built Robotics and heavy-equipment giants such as Caterpillar and Aim Intelligent Machines.
The success of Bedrock and its competitors hinges on proving the cost-effectiveness and reliability of autonomous construction equipment.
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