AEM seeks to standardize how the equipment industry talks about tech with new common language guidance documents
The documents cover autonomous equipment, cybersecurity for machine data, and the way data moves through the industry
To help manufacturers, suppliers, and tech providers align on increasingly critical issues, The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), along with its members, has released new guidance documents designed to establish a common language around machine autonomy, cybersecurity, and data usage.
The guidance documents were released in conjunction with AEM's Celebration of Construction on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The documents serve as consensus resources for association staff, members, and industry peers to drive conversations and communications related to autonomy, cybersecurity, and data.
Updated guidelines for new tools in a new world
The three guidance documents were the direct result of months of collaboration between AEM member company representatives serving on the association's Ag and CE Technology Leadership Groups. While they are not intended to be comprehensive or all-encompassing viewpoints on autonomy, cybersecurity, and data, the documents do contain both industry use cases and everyday examples. Ultimately, they help guide information sharing inside and outside of the industry, with lawmakers and regulators, with contractors and equipment end users, and with the general public regarding:
- The implementation of autonomy in the non-road equipment industry
- The levels of cybersecurity for machine data today
- How data moves among different layers
Non-road equipment is designed to execute specific functions relative to its intended applications and tasks in non-road environments in agriculture and construction. Construction worksites, farm fields, dairies and feedlots, areas of animal husbandry, etc., are dynamic environments defined by fences or other boundaries with some level of restriction for access or entry. These do not apply to the on-road operation of non-road equipment.
"When it comes to aligning our members and our industry on ever-evolving issues and topics of importance, words matter," said AEM Senior Vice President Curt Blades. "It's why we leveraged the collective knowledge and expertise of our membership to develop these guidance documents. Autonomy, cybersecurity, and data impact our industry and our world in so many ways, and AEM is committed to helping ensure conversations and communications surrounding these topics are conveyed clearly, consistently, and accurately."
