Compact Equipment - News Release

Compact machines are becoming more capable, yet the best engineering often asks less of the operator. Cédric Durand, Chief Product Officer at Yanmar CE, reflects on why new technology must remain grounded in the realities of the jobsite.

At CSPI-EXPO 2026 in Chiba, Japan, interest in automation and digital transformation was driven by a practical concern, as the construction industry looks for ways to respond to persistent labor shortages.

Yanmar Compact Equipment (Yanmar CE) presented its ViO30-7 zero-tail-swing mini excavator with blade 3D machine control, alongside remote-operation technology and its Active Tip-over Mitigation System. Together, the technologies pointed to a broader shift in which equipment takes a more active role in the task. As machines interpret more information and begin to support decisions, greater capability must remain understandable inside the cab.
That shift is also attracting regulatory attention. In Europe for example, the EU Machinery Regulation begins to apply in January 2027, replacing the Machinery Directive and updating safety requirements for software-enabled equipment.

For Cédric Durand, Chief Product Officer at Yanmar CE, the response begins with the purpose of the technology and the people whose work it is intended to improve. “The question is always how a solution performs in real conditions,” he explains. “It has to integrate into the way people work.”

Start where the work happens

The technology has changed, while the development logic remains familiar. Engineering begins with the conditions in which the machine must perform – conditions that are difficult to understand from a specification sheet alone. A control that appears logical during development may feel very different over a long shift, while rental machines must often work for operators with widely varying levels of experience.
“You learn different things beside a machine than you do around a design table,” says Durand. “A small source of hesitation, repeated throughout the working day, can become the starting point for a meaningful change.”

The recently launched SV10 shows how that process works in practice. The machine had originally been due to reach the market earlier, but field testing with customers in Italy, the UK and France identified a concern around stability. While the overall response to the prototype was positive, Yanmar decided to hold back the launch and address the issue.

The development team made targeted changes to the undercarriage and track structure, as well as the rear counterweight, before bringing the revised machine to market. Customer response since launch has been positive, reflecting a development process in which feedback from the field can directly influence the finished machine.
“Feedback becomes valuable when it changes a design decision,” Durand shares. “The operator may never see the engineering discussion behind that change, but they will feel the difference every time they use the machine.”

From capability to usability

At 740 mm wide, the SV10 can pass through a standard doorway, before expanding its undercarriage to 990 mm once in position. It is a design shaped around the sequence of the task: negotiate restricted access first, then establish a firmer stance for digging. Its layout also reflects the realities of rental fleets, where machines move between users and need to be put to work quickly.

Repositioned side levers create more operating space, while the controls are arranged to make familiarization straightforward. A tilting engine hood provides direct access for daily checks. “For contractors and fleet owners, usability affects how quickly a machine can begin work and how consistently it earns its place on site,” confirms Durand.

When the machine begins to assist

Built into a familiar movement, the protection adds no display or sequence for the operator to manage. “New technologies create opportunities, but they also introduce complexity,” Durand says. “The priority is to ensure that complexity does not sit with the operator.”

Active Tip-over Mitigation gives the machine a more direct role in managing risk. By assessing how the payload interacts with the machine’s posture on sloping ground, the system can limit certain commands as tipping risk increases.

Technology with a lighter touch

Working with JAXA's Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center, Yanmar tested a force-controlled robotic arm on a lunar-rover research model, including travel over soft ground and excavation. The principle was then applied to an electric prototype based on the ViO25 mini excavator, using a Series Elastic Actuator to sense and regulate applied force.

Development is continuing, with Yanmar now supporting field testing with customers on real jobsites to understand where the technology can bring the greatest practical advantage. With that work still in progress, further details remain under wraps for now.
“Force Control will help make heavy lifting and handling safer and easier by precisely sensing and controlling applied force,” says Durand. “The aim is to reduce physical strain and improve productivity, allowing work that once required several people to be completed more efficiently by a smaller team.”

Progress can be felt

“Technologies will continue to evolve, but our measure of progress should remain practical,” concludes Durand. “A development has value when people can use it with confidence, in the environments for which it was designed.”

Perhaps the most successful engineering eventually recedes into the task itself. Its assistance arrives without interrupting concentration, while the sophistication within the machine is felt through work that becomes steadier in the operator’s hands.

About Yanmar Compact Equipment

Yanmar Compact Equipment (Yanmar CE) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and support of compact equipment for a range of segments, principally construction and other earthmoving applications. Its products include extensive ranges of mini and midi excavators, wheel loaders, compact track loaders and tracked carriers. These are supported by a wide range of services designed to ensure customer success. A global company with proud Japanese heritage, Yanmar CE has manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe and North America – and an extensive international dealer network. Renowned for its innovative approach – it was the first to market with the now-benchmark mini-excavator, and is credited with popularizing the zero-tail swing concept – Yanmar CE remains a trusted brand known for its reliability, performance and commitment to customer satisfaction. These traits are demonstrated through the company’s tagline – ‘Building with you’. For more details, please visit the official website. https://www.yanmar.com/global/construction