Volvo CE, Unicontrol Bring 3D Machine Control Partnership to North America
Following a 2025 rollout in Europe, Volvo Construction Equipment and Unicontrol announced the software company’s 3D machine control technology is now available on Volvo CE excavators in North America.
The Unicontrol3D system will be fully integrated with Volvo Active Control, providing one interface with one set of hardware for effortless accessibility. The platform will help excavator operators work with more speed, precision and efficiency: whether they’re digging trenches, grading slopes or creating site profiles.
When customers order the Volvo Co-Pilot with Dig Assist — the Volvo CE machine control system for excavators — from the factory, all necessary hardware and software are installed. The only additional step is to activate the Unicontrol3D application.
“We always aim to make advanced technology approachable, and the Volvo Co-Pilot is an open platform where partners can join us in delivering innovative solutions,” said Matthew McLean, product manager — assist systems at Volvo CE. “Unicontrol is the latest to come on board, bringing flexible 3D machine control that boosts productivity and simplicity for our customers.”
Impressive Adaptability
Unicontrol is a fast-growing disruptor in 3D machine control owned by U.S.-based Spectra Precision, providing open, flexible and cost-efficient solutions. Aligned with the Volvo CE commitment to digital innovation, the Denmark-based company allows Volvo CE to offer more choices to its customers so they get the right technology for their needs.
Unlike traditional closed systems, Unicontrol3D is designed for adaptability. The software seamlessly integrates with any type of excavator, any data format and any workflow, allowing contractors to optimize mixed fleets without being locked into a single ecosystem.
“The demand for flexible and accessible 3D machine control is not slowing down,” said Martin Kirkmand, CEO at Unicontrol. “And this partnership with Volvo CE shows how well we’re responding to that demand with technology that prioritizes efficiency, versatility and ease of use.”
See It at CONEXPO
CONEXPO-CON/AGG attendees can see the tech in action at the Volvo CE booth (F24029 in the Festival Grounds) with live demonstrations of the new Volvo Active Control with Unicontrol3D.
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About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.