For over a decade, Komatsu's Intelligent Machine Control (iMC) technology has been reshaping the construction landscape. With its debut on excavators in 2014, Komatsu’s semi-automatic digging and grading technology created a dramatic change in the industry enabling customers to increase their productivity, efficiency and lower costs across the entire construction site.
Fast forward to Bauma 2025, as Komatsu unveils its next-generation iMC 3.0 on their PC220LCi-12 excavator, customer feedback from across Europe confirms the profound and tangible impact iMC has had on their operations over the past decade.
Proven reliability
"We originally wanted just a standard excavator," recalls Anthony, associate owner of Christophe Alexandre, a construction firm nestled in the rolling hills of Burgundy, France. He remembers vividly the day they decided to purchase the PC210LCi-10: "But after just a week with the iMC excavator, we couldn't go back."
Eleven years on, their PC210LCi-10, one of the first iMC machines in Europe, continues to deliver around a 30% time saving on projects, directly translating to reduced costs. "The reliability is incredible," Anthony adds.
It could easily pass for a nearly new machine, when in fact it has already been a faithful companion of the company for more than 10 years, with over 8,000 operational hours under its belt.
Anthony credits this longevity not only to the machine’s robust build but also to the factory-integrated iMC system, which has continued to perform flawlessly.
Beyond the quality of the machine itself, Komatsu’s ongoing customer support has also played a crucial role in the success of iMC. Anthony highlighted the excellent service from Komatsu France’s iMC team, who quickly addressed a minor issue with a stroke sensor through a simple update.
Ultimate time-saver
Similar positive feedback resounds across the region. Travelling north-west to Brittany, we met Christophe, owner of TLTP, who has found iMC to be a game-changer for productivity.
“We can prepare the design plan and integrate the project into the machine, so the operator doesn’t have to leave the cab to inspect the work,” Christophe says.
Bruno, an operator at TLTP, echoes this sentiment. “What I appreciate most are the semi-automatic stop and digging features from our iMC 2.0 PC210LCi-11, which ensures consistent depth in trenching. I don’t need to leave the cab to check the work anymore. It’s a huge time-saver.”
The ability to work without constantly stepping off the machine is a significant advantage, particularly for smaller companies with fewer personnel.
Thanks to iMC technology, TLTP can operate more efficiently, even without a surveyor on-site, allowing them to complete jobs faster and more accurately.
A new way of working
The impact of iMC extends beyond France, and beyond the scope of machine innovation. In the UK, Dynamic Ground Solutions (DGS) was one of the first companies to adopt iMC technology in 2013. Today, their fleet includes 30 iMC-equipped dozers and excavators, and they’ve seen first-hand how the technology has transformed their operations.
DGS’s engineer Alex uses Komatsu’s Smart Construction software suite to remotely upload the latest design files and assist operators from his office. “With Smart Construction Remote, I don’t need to visit the site in person. I can log in and assist operators from anywhere. It’s a huge time-saver and allows us to troubleshoot without being on-site,” Alex explains.
The integration of drone surveys and iMC as-built data into Smart Construction Dashboard further enables DGS to track site progress, perform a simple cut-and-fill calculation, and analyse daily as-built data from their iMC machines without additional surveys.
iMC 3.0: The most advanced machine control technology ever
Building on the foundation of rich customer value that we deliver to businesses of all sizes, Komatsu continues to drive technology through innovation, and with the 3.0 generation, we introduce unique features and unprecedented levels of digital connectivity.
This new set of features includes tilt-rotator integration and control, 3D boundary control to increase job-site safety, swing-to-line and travel-along-line functions assist the operator in trenching operations, and pushing the boundaries of semi-autonomous operation, iMC 3.0 introduces auto swing for semi-automatic truck loading.
With Smart Construction Remote included as standard, customers can seamlessly transfer design files remotely and trouble-shoot by taking over the screen, eliminating unnecessary site visits.
Rob Macintyre, Product Manager at Komatsu Europe concluded, “we pioneered fully factory integrated machine control on excavators back in 2014. Those more than 10 years of constant development, deep experience of learning from customers and fully supporting them on the jobsite to get the best out of this type of technology, has led to these truly unique assist features we see on iMC 3.0.”
