30 years of 3D machine control: a digital technology that changed the face of construction sites

Windhagen, 2 September 2026 – Wirtgen has been developing smart 3D machine control systems for the road construction sector for the past 30 years, and continues to set benchmark standards when it comes to precision and automation. What began in the mid-1990s with the development of the first 3D interface for slipform pavers is today an integral component of the digital construction process.

From a pioneering idea to integrated machine control

With developments such as Wirtgen AutoPilot 2.0 und Smart LEVEL PRO, Wirtgen supports and assists construction contractors around the globe in the successful realisation of challenging infrastructure projects. These developments began in 1999 with the construction of the new ICE high-speed rail link between Frankfurt and Cologne. The track was to be laid entirely without conventional pre-stressed concrete sleepers and ballast. For the construction of the required slab track, concrete surfaces had to be paved with a previously unheard of degree of precision. Back then, Leica Geosystems and Wirtgen collaborated on the development of a new measurement and control system for this purpose, which, for the first time, integrated measurement technology and machine control via a 3D interface. ‘At the time, there was no measurement and control system that could truly satisfy the extremely high precision requirements of slab track construction. The development of the 3D interface between the measurement system and the machine was the decisive breakthrough, and formed the basis for all subsequent developments,’ recalls Matthias Fritz, Application Manager 3D Control Systems at Wirtgen GmbH.

The technology was then used for the first time in the construction of the ICE high-speed rail link in 1999. On that project, multiple slipform pavers worked simultaneously without physical stringlines and were instead guided entirely by a 3D control system. A short time later Wirtgen cold milling machines were equipped with the technology, which has since been continuously revised and upgraded.

Smart machines enable more automation

With the introduction of satellite-based GNSS technologies and the increasing integration of machine control into vehicle control systems at the time, ongoing developments raised the system to an entirely new level. The goal was to further simplify working procedures, reduce setup times, and increase process reliability on the construction site. ‘The decisive step in the further development was the replacement of the conventional physical stringline with a virtual stringline and the integration of the control system in the machine. This enabled us to increase precision, productivity, and operator comfort in equal measure,’ says Matthias Fritz. Wirtgen presented the Wirtgen AutoPilot at Bauma 2013 as the world's first hybrid control system for slipform pavers – and went on to win the prestigious Bauma Innovation Award at the event. The latest generation, AutoPilot 2.0, enables high-precision paving of offset and inset profiles such as kerbs, concrete safety barriers or road surface slabs –without the time and effort of complex surveying or having to setup and take down physical stringlines.

‘The purpose of technology is to make things easier for its users, not more complicated. That is why we develop solutions that are aligned with our customers’ needs and create real added value on the construction site,’ emphasises Matthias Fritz. Today, standardised CAN bus interfaces support the flexible use of wide range of different measurement solutions. Depending on their specific needs, customers can use systems from various other providers and simultaneously enjoy the benefits of deeply embedded integration in their Wirtgen machines.

Digitalisation of the milling process

With ‘Smart Automation in Roadbuilding’, the Wirtgen Group offers innovative solutions for the precise removal and paving of asphalt on the basis of digital terrain models. One core component is Smart LEVEL PRO, which enables automated control of the milling depth and cross slope on Wirtgen F series large milling machines. Smart LEVEL PRO is ideally complemented by the Work Planner in the John Deere Operations Center™. The Work Planner visualises key performance indicators such as the milling area, the milling volume, and minimum, maximum, and average milling depths.

Focus on practical solutions

Even after 30 years, the precise control of height, grade and slope, milling depth and steering remains one of the core competencies of Wirtgen. Building on its many years of expertise and experience, the company is actively engaged in the continuous development of its automation solutions, which contributes to the increasing digitalisation of construction sites.