A concept machine was produced in 2023, and testing has been conducted in rivers and ports
Komatsu, in partnership with Asunaro Aoki Construction Co., has developed electric amphibious crawler dozers which are set to be unveiled next year.
The dozers will be officially released at the 2025 Future Society Showcase Project in Japan, which gets underway in April next year.
Komatsu first began mass production of radio-controlled amphibious bulldozers in 1971.
Asunaro Aoki Construction owns all five of these units still in operation today and has accumulated knowledge and construction technologies through more than 1,200 underwater construction projects, including post-disaster reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Together, Komatsu and Asunaro Aoki Construction are developing electric underwater construction robots equipped with automatic control and ICT functions that they say can be remotely operated without requiring skilled techniques, and which enable high-precision construction.
In July 2023, the concept machine was produced, and testing has been conducted in rivers and fishing ports.
The duo’s exhibit at next year’s Expo will focus on the theme “Underwater Construction of the Future: enabling anyone to contribute to protecting lives and livelihoods.”
The two companies will introduce this theme, highlighting their belief that it is possible to contribute to underwater construction through remote control operation from a safe and comfortable location, and even an office environment.
The exhibit will also aim to emphasise that such underwater construction contributes to disaster prevention and recovery, renewable energy and blue carbon initiatives, such as the creation of seagrass beds and tidal flats, to combat global warming.