JLG’s Autonomous Boom Lift Concept Wins Big Innovation Award at CES
A boom lift that works without an operator? Ok, you’ve piqued our collective interest. JLG recently announced it has engineered a new concept machine casually called Boom Lift with Robotic End Effector. This boom lift can position, weld and inspect all on its own. It just earned CES’s Best of Innovation award in Robotics. The autonomous lift will make its public debut at CES 2026 in the Oshkosh Corp. booth in Las Vegas (booth #4418, LVCC West Hall, January 6-9). From the press release:
“We’re honored that JLG has been recognized with a CES Innovation Awards Best of Innovation award and as a CES Innovation Awards Honoree for our Boom Lift with Robotic End Effector concept,” says Shashank Bhatia, chief technology officer and global vice president of engineering, JLG. “At JLG, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of technology — from electrification and connectivity to safety and sustainability. Every innovation we develop begins with listening to our customers, understanding the challenges they face every day on the job site and designing solutions that help them work safely, intelligently, sustainably and efficiently. These awards are a testament to our dedication to delivering solutions that reimagine what’s possible on job sites.”
What this JLG Robot Does
The machine combines a JLG boom platform with a robotic manipulator, AI-guided control and multi-sensor perception. It can navigate, position at height and perform tasks like welding, inspection or installation. It can run solo or as part of a coordinated fleet. The system ties into digital twins and site management tools to plan, execute and verify work. Traditional MEWPs lift people so they can work. This concept turns the lift into a tool that works. It positions precisely, repeats motions and documents results. It aims to shift people off the platform and onto the ground as supervisors and technicians. That approach reduces risk exposure and creates a clearer path to semi-autonomous workflows on complex sites.
Part of a Larger Oshkosh Tech Push
Oshkosh also took a Best of Innovation in Travel & Tourism for its awesome Striker Volterra electric ARFF vehicle (video above) and received additional honoree nods in Construction & Industrial Tech for its McNeilus Volterra Electric Refuse and Recycling Vehicle. The JLG robotic boom lift leads that list on the construction side.
JLG Keeps Pressing the Edge
This concept follows a string of forward-leaning JLG programs you’ve seen on Compact Equipment:
- Electric telehandlers. JLG’s E313 compact electric telehandler brought zero-emissions handling to tight sites and won an Innovative Iron Award from CE.
- DaVinci scissors. The AE1932 launched with an all-electric drive and component architecture that removed hydraulics from the equation.
- Bi-energy compact crawler booms. JLG added dual independent power sources to its X-series compact crawlers to cover indoor and outdoor work with one unit.
Taken together, the robotic end effector concept looks like the next step: adding autonomy and task execution to electrified, connected platforms.
Why CES Matters for Off-Highway
CES is now a showcase for heavy equipment tech. OEMs use it to signal progress in autonomy, AI and electrification to a global tech audience. That trend continues in 2026 with Caterpillar’s keynote at CES on January 7 at the Venetian’s Palazzo Ballroom and a large West Hall presence. Expect updates on AI, autonomy and digital platforms. We also suggest you watch the Machine Heads episode above, which digs into why CES has become the venue to announce awesome off-highway tech.
Keith Gribbins is publisher of Compact Equipment.
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