At one of the world’s largest tech events, the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas last week, heavy equipment designed for both the moon and Earth took center stage. Artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as a standout innovation in construction technology, reflecting its growing significance for contractors. However, experts believe that AI is just one part of the equation, with other emerging technologies like autonomous equipment, 3D mapping, and electric machines also offering valuable benefits to builders.

Here are five key construction-related innovations from CES 2025:

CaterpillarCaterpillar, based in Irving, Texas, introduced its 55,000-pound 972 wheel loader, a hybrid retrofit technical demonstrator showcasing an extended-range electrified machine. The machine, developed in just 12 weeks by a small engineering team, “maintains performance similar to a diesel machine and does not require DC charging,” according to a news release from the manufacturer.

Additionally, Caterpillar presented a 24-hour electrified jobsite simulation, demonstrating technology that customers are already implementing in their daily work, the release stated.

Oshkosh Corp.Oshkosh Corp., the Wisconsin-based manufacturer, displayed a variety of solutions focused on electrification, AI, autonomy, and connectivity for service-oriented industries, under the banner of “everyday heroes,” as outlined in the company’s release.

Among the innovations shown was the ZFL, an electric front-loader truck for commercial refuse and recycling collection, featuring “AI- and machine learning-enabled bin detection, along with contaminant detection and an electrified arm for pickup,” according to the release. The company also unveiled its Collision Avoidance Mitigation System, which uses advanced AI and sensors to detect the trajectory, speed, and proximity of oncoming vehicles relative to parked response vehicles.

KomatsuJapanese manufacturer Komatsu expanded its reach beyond Earth’s boundaries by showcasing its lunar excavator and underwater construction robot concepts at CES, designed for extreme conditions, according to a company news release.

The lunar excavator design is carefully engineered with “the harsh environment, lunar regolith — also known as moon dust — and low gravity operation” in mind, according to Komatsu’s website. The underwater bulldozer, meanwhile, will enable autonomous work in deep-sea and hazardous waters.

John DeereJohn Deere, based in Moline, Illinois, has expanded its autonomous machinery lineup, following up on its initial CES 2022 launch. The company revealed its 460 P-Tier Autonomous Articulated Dump Truck, which uses a second-generation autonomous kit to take on the repetitive task of transporting materials around a quarry. The ADT operates without a driver in the cab, as described in a company release.

Machines like the ADT can be controlled via John Deere's cloud-based platform, the Operations Center Mobile, which allows operators to start the machine via their phone after placing it in the correct spot.

MoasureThe Moasure 2 Pro, a measurement device from U.K.-based Moasure, was honored with a 2025 CES Innovation Award. According to the CES award page, the Moasure 2 Pro uses high-performance sensors to capture X-, Y-, and Z-axis data while in motion, measuring complex and irregular jobsites in real time. It also automatically calculates perimeter, area, elevation, and volume. The device’s new layout mode “simplifies the setting out process by guiding the user to specified points.”

Once connected via Bluetooth, users can export measurements to PDF or CAD files without any additional costs, according to the awards page.