Xwatch Safety Solutions and RodRadar have introduced an integrated excavator safety system designed to prevent underground utility strikes.
The system combines RodRadar’s Live Dig Radar, which uses ground-penetrating radar embedded in an excavator bucket, with Xwatch’s hydraulic control technology. When underground utilities are detected during excavation, the system can automatically stop bucket movement to reduce the risk of a strike.
Utility strikes remain a persistent issue in construction, with hundreds of thousands of incidents reported annually in the U.S. Many occur when utilities are not properly located or are outside marked areas.
Unlike traditional approaches that rely on pre-project locating, the integrated system detects utilities in real time during excavation. The setup is designed to move beyond warning systems by actively preventing contact, while still allowing operator override if needed.
The companies demonstrated the system at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 in Las Vegas.
