COVER STORY: OPERATOR INTERFACE oemoffhighway.com/21590994
Autonomous Vehicles Create More Intuitive, Easier to Use OPERATOR INTERFACES
Increased automation will simplify, and eventually minimize the need for operator cabs and controls. by Sara Jensen
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utomation is impacting many aspects of heavy-duty vehicles and equipment, including the operator cab. Operator interface components—also referred to as HMI (human machine interface)—in particular are evolving to meet the needs of automated systems and vehicles. According to John Pannone, Vice President of HMI Systems, EAO, a lot of equipment today is adopting dual roles in which there are autonomous and manual features, also referred to as conditional autonomy. This requires the equipment and its components to be able to easily shift from one mode of operation to the other. Pannone says this shift in how machines operate both adds and takes away some features within the operator cab. It also makes some features more important. Jay Iyengar, Chief Technology Officer, CNH Industrial, says in the off-highway equip-
ment industry autonomous operation is more complex than on-road vehicles. In addition to going from point A to point B, the machine also needs to do active work like planting or seeding. “The user interface gets a little complex because it is also being used to control the equipment to do the work while it’s actually moving,” she explains. Machine operations are still complex but as automation progresses, they will become less so. And this will apply to the operator interface as well. Instead of pushing 10 buttons or settings, it will be necessary to use just one or two as most of the work will be done in the background by the automation system says Iyengar. It will help to make things more intuitive and user friendly. This will be particularly important as younger generations enter the market who don’t have the skills or experience of those leaving it. Making equipment easier to use will help speed up the training process while also increasing operators’ comfort and productivity.
The ultimate goal of automation is to help increase productivity, simplify decision making for operators and eventually reduce operational costs.
Adaptability and differentiation will be key Pannone agrees there is a greater need for intuitive operation for HMI designs, particularly those that provide autonomous and manual modes. This equates to there being more feedback so machine operators can be sure they’re controlling the piece of equipment in a safe manner. “There’s a great need to understand what mode the equipment is in, so we find that there’s a lot of visual [or] audible indication,” says Pannone. “But to have HMI products and components that are adaptable is really something that we’re seeing customers appreciating because if products can be utilized in both modes, or if you have products that can support the features of both modes, that’s really helpful.” HMI which can easily be adapted or modified for autonomous and manual operation can help ease the design process for OEMs as they could potentially use the same components for each operating mode. When in autonomous mode, the interface components may need to be used for Removal of the operator cab on Case IH’s concept autonomous tractor enabled a reimagining of the overall machine design and styling.
CNH INDUSTRIAL
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OEM Off-Highway | SEPTEMBER 2021
