How far has information technology influenced this sector? What are the recent trends and innovations in earthmoving equipment?
The influence is not significant as of now; however, use of electronics is improving and would be quite important in the years to come. Most of the hydraulic controls would soon become electro-hydraulic and engine performance would be totally electronic controlled. Another important trend is the likelihood of the connectivity of the equipment and its performance through the GPS systems, which would permit the manufacturers to track the machine location and its performance through satellite access and thereby advise the users on preventive measures in advance. As a matter of fact the manufacturers can advise their dealers to get in touch with the users to get the preventive actions done and avoid costly failures. This will make the role of the product support even more important for earthmoving equipment. Another trend that is likely to catch up is the annual maintenance contract and full lifetime maintenance contracts. These are likely to be taken up by manufacturers themselves in a ki
