Weekly Iron 073: Hyundai’s AI Push, Leica Safety Tech, and Cab Tunes

AI is getting smarter by the minute, but the jobsite still runs on something older — human creativity and maybe a perfect song playing through the cab speakers. The best fleets are learning how to balance both: algorithms that crunch data in the background and operators who still bring rhythm to their work. In this latest Weekly Iron, host Jessica Klein runs through three stories fast — from AI fleet intelligence to next-gen jobsite safety tech — and wraps it all with a reminder that even in the age of machine learning, the right playlist can still power a productive day.

HD Hyundai builds the AI backbone for smarter fleet decisions

Today’s construction equipment already runs on software. That software can collect lots of data, which is a good/bad situation. Data is good for helping with machine maintenance, operation, and security, but too much unorganized data can be as useless as no data at all. Well, the industry wants to add the next layer: AI that connects the dots and nudges the right decisions at the right time. HD Hyundai keeps catching our collective eye for leaning into this new AI assist. The company has been talking a lot about an AI-driven transformation across its businesses, especially construction equipment. Let’s remember: HD Hyundai owns both the Hyundai and Develon equipment brands. HD Hyundai is investing in the unsexy but essential part of AI: data plumbing. That’s where Palantir enters the picture. Read more…

Leica Xsight360 delivers AI-powered 360-degree jobsite awareness

Hexagon's Leica, a construction tech provider along the lines of Trimble and Topcon that's seeking a higher profile in North America, is upping its safety game with Xsight360. Xsight360 is a safety awareness system the complements the company's safety awareness portfolio, including 3D avoidance technology. The company's aim is to provide an end-to-end solution that unites machine automation, real-time awareness, and cloud-based safety intelligence. Leica Xsight360 uses edge-based AI and up to six onboard cameras to provide operators with full 360-degree visibility around heavy equipment. The system detects people, vehicles, and obstacles in real time, issuing immediate audio and visual alerts to mitigate risks before incidents occur. Read more…

The operator cab playlist: music that moves iron

Before I wrote about iron, hydraulics, and diesel regens, I wrote about music for a decade. I interviewed bands and artists like Interpol, Jack Johnson, Kid Rock, and the Pixies for alternative tabloids under the Village Voice and New Times umbrella. I lived in clubs, and I subsisted on riffs. Those were the days. Today, I chase excavators and skid steers, but the music still matters — no matter life’s settings. Personally, I find music changes how you operate a machine. It locks you in. It keeps your head steady when the trench runs long and the grade stakes look crooked. I built this mix for long days in the cab. Country, classic rock, indie, electronic, hip hop. You can jump over to our YouTube page and fire up the full playlist in your cab right now. Bluetooth it and move some dirt. Read more…