HD Construction Equipment said Monday that its artificial intelligence-based emergency automatic braking system, “E-STOP,” has received the SaMoTer Innovation Award in Italy.
The SaMoTer Innovation Award is presented by VeronaFiere, an Italian trade fair organizer, to recognize the most innovative technologies and products in the construction equipment industry.
HD Construction Equipment’s E-STOP technology uses cameras and radar sensors mounted on heavy machinery to detect people or objects within the equipment’s operating radius and automatically apply the brakes when necessary.
Using AI deep-learning technology, the system is designed to accurately distinguish human workers from surrounding objects within construction zones.
The system can also automatically adjust between deceleration and full-stop responses depending on preset safety distances, helping improve both workplace safety and operational efficiency.
Last September, HD Construction Equipment demonstrated the E-STOP system during the Seine-Nord Europe Canal project in France, hosted by a construction safety organization affiliated with the French Ministry of Labor. The technology reportedly received positive feedback from European construction companies.
Lim Jung-woo, head of HD Construction Equipment’s European operations, said the award was meaningful because it recognized the company’s technological competitiveness in Europe, a leading market for next-generation construction equipment technologies.
“We will continue strengthening brand trust across Europe through technologies and products that improve both safety and efficiency,” Lim said.
Separately, HD Construction Equipment reported preliminary first-quarter consolidated revenue of$1.67 billion and operating profit of $138 million.
The results marked the company’s first earnings report since the January merger of HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore into HD Construction Equipment.
Compared with the combined results of the two companies a year earlier, revenue increased 22.1% while operating profit surged 88.3%.
The company attributed the strong performance to recovering global demand in the construction equipment market and rapid growth in industrial and defense engine businesses, alongside improved profitability in its construction equipment segment.