Bedrock Robotics announces autonomous excavation milestone - The Robot Report

Bedrock Robotics LLC has achieved a significant milestone in autonomous excavation by deploying its AI-driven excavator technology in partnership with Sundt Construction Inc. on a large-scale project preparing a 130-acre manufacturing facility. The autonomous system has moved over 65,000 cubic yards of earth by loading human-operated dump trucks using workflows identical to manual operations. This advancement addresses a critical industry challenge: retaining skilled operators who often avoid repetitive excavation tasks. By automating the monotonous truck-loading process, Bedrock’s technology allows experienced workers to focus on more specialized and creative construction tasks, enhancing overall project efficiency. Founded in early 2024, Bedrock Robotics rapidly developed its core product, the Bedrock Operator—an AI controller trained through machine learning to operate excavators ranging from 20 to 80 tons. The company’s leadership includes former Waymo engineers who shifted from traditional robotics methods to data-driven approaches, leveraging large-scale datasets to emulate expert operators’ actions. This approach parallels developments in large language models, but