Caterpillar is to take over manufacturing and sales of Seeing Machines’ DSS product and has been awarded Fleet product distribution rights. Seeing Machines, the company with a focus on operator monitoring and intervention sensing technologies and services, has signed a global product development, licensing and distribution agreement with Caterpillar, as the final phase of the alliance between the two companies announced in May 2013. Under this new agreement, Caterpillar will take over responsibility for manufacturing, marketing and sales of Seeing Machines’ existing DSS rugged off-road product. In addition, Seeing Machines and Caterpillar will work together to develop new innovative products. Caterpillar will market DSS and Seeing Machines Fleet products for in-cab operator fatigue and distraction monitoring solutions in the agreed Caterpillar industries. Finally, Caterpillar will also have distribution rights for Seeing Machines Fleet product, exclusive within agreed Caterpillar industries and nonexclusive outside these industries.
Seeing Machines’ DSS rugged off-road product, under license to Caterpillar, will be available exclusively through Cat® Dealers across Caterpillar’s broader industries; including mining, construction, quarry, aggregates, cement, and forestry.
Caterpillar will pay Seeing Machines $17.5 million over four years as well as royalty fees for DSS hardware, software licensing, monitoring and analytics services. Caterpillar will also purchase existing inventory of DSS units from Seeing Machines. Current DSS customer agreements will be transitioned to Caterpillar and supported by Caterpillar dealers. Additional consulting services, system monitoring and data analysis will be offered by Caterpillar Safety Services.
Seeing Machines CEO, Ken Kroeger said: “This is a pivotal moment in the history of Seeing Machines; the realisation of several years of hard work for both companies. Caterpillar is capable of maximising the return on the DSS technology; their reputation, reach, capability and commitment will deliver great outcomes for both companies and for the world’s mining and construction related companies.”
In addition to the rugged off-road DSS product, Caterpillar will also distribute Seeing Machines’ Fleet product, exclusively within agreed Caterpillar industries and nonexclusive outside these industries. Seeing Machines and its other distribution partners will continue to market and sell the Fleet product into the broader commercial road transport market.
In May 2013, following early commercialisation activities and years of intensive development of the DSS and DSSi product suite, Seeing Machines and Caterpillar Global Mining entered into a four-phased alliance agreement to deliver and support DSS operator fatigue monitoring technology through global Cat® Dealers. In parallel with this agreement Seeing Machines will continue to work with Caterpillar’s wholly owned subsidiary, Electro Motive Diesel, to assess and develop operator monitoring technology solutions for the rail industry, under the alliance agreement with EMD announced in September 2014.
Seeing Machines is focused on operator monitoring and intervention sensing technologies and services. With more than 15 years of experience, Seeing Machines uses advanced detection and prevention safety assistance technologies to track eye and facial movement in order to monitor fatigue, drowsiness and distraction events, such as microsleeps, texting and cell phone use as they occur, while providing for a real-time intervention strategy, which improves operator, driver and environmental safety, preserves assets, and reduces risk.