Widespread adoption of connected and autonomous plant (CAP) could add £417bn to the UK economy by 2050.
CAP is construction equipment that uses digital technology to optimise construction processes. Costain was tasked with analysing the wider uptake of CAP and its impact by the Department for Transport.
Across road and rail, Costain’s report found CAP adoption could reduce the number of safety incidents by 28,000 by 2050. It has the potential to remove operators from high-risk roles, and improve workplace wellbeing.
CAP would add £61bn to the economy through direct, indirect and induced effects across the supply chain. A further £356bn could be realised through gross value added (GVA) due to savings and increased productivity.
Wider adoption of CAP would also reduce road and rail carbon emissions by 19,300kt. This is equivalent to the amount of CO2e that would be absorbed by a forest the size of Wales.
Around a fifth of construction plant and equipment in the UK has some connectivity and autonomy, including compactors, excavators and bulldozers, as well as 3D printing and AI robotics.
National pathway to growth
Costain managing director of transportation Jonathan Willcock said: “Infrastructure investment – particularly in transportation – is recognised as a pathway to national growth and prosperity.
“However, with myriad competing pressures on public spending, this investment must demonstrate value for money and maximise productivity.
“Connected and autonomous plant has the potential to transform the productivity of construction activities. In turn, this can give a significant boost to the UK economy over the coming decades.
“Importantly, the technology will also play a key role in encouraging greener and safer ways of working, as well as creating more high-skilled jobs for the workforce.
“We‘re already seeing CAP being deployed on projects across the country. But to scale-up and achieve the benefits faster, there needs to be a shift in thinking to embrace this technology and drive positive change.”
Don’t miss out on BIM and digital construction news: sign up to receive the BIMplus newsletter.
