Bobcat has introduced its newest technological capabilities to the Bobcat Machine IQ telematics platform. The new Remote Engine Disable/Enable feature allows customer users in North America and Europe to remotely enable or disable their machine’s engine through the Owner Portal or Machine IQ app.
Originally announced in June 2024 on select compact track loaders and skid-steer loaders, the technology can now be additionally used for select Bobcat compact excavator, compact wheel loader and Toolcat utility work machine models. Equipment owners for models that do not have telematics hardware factory-installed can purchase an aftermarket kit through their local dealer.
Machine IQ, launched in 2019 in North America, allows connected-machine owners to monitor the health of their Bobcat machine and remotely track information related to maintenance, security and performance. Remote Engine Disable/Enable represents the first two-way update to the telematics system, allowing operators to both send commands and receive data from the machine.
With Remote Engine Disable/Enable, operators can shut down their machine with a few clicks, deterring theft and aiding in machine recovery.
“Advanced theft deterrence is critical peace of mind for our Machine IQ users, and Remote Engine Disable/Enable allows our North American and European customers to protect their equipment and allow only authorized usage. This feature also demonstrates our ability to interact with machines via two-way communication using telematics. Today marks another major milestone for what Bobcat continues to do to empower our customers to accomplish more” said Garrett Maurer, director of digital product management at Bobcat.
If unauthorized use is suspected, operator owners can log into their Bobcat Owner Portal or Machine IQ app to pinpoint the location of their equipment and choose to disable the engine. Upon executing the disable command, any attempt to start an engine in an off state will fail. If the machine is in operation, the engine will slow to a near standstill, relegated to de-rate mode.
Remote Engine Disable/Enable is available for Machine IQ Health and Security subscribers with connected and compatible Bobcat machine(s).
