XWATCH Safety Solutions and RodRadar, developer of the Live Dig Radar (LDR), have announced what is being described as the industry’s first safety-grade solution for preventing underground utility strikes.
The system, which will be demonstrated at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 in Las Vegas, automatically halts the excavator bucket when subsurface utilities are detected during active excavation.
Underground utility strikes remain among the most persistent safety and financial challenges in construction.
RodRadar’s AI-driven Live Dig Radar digging system uses a ground-penetrating radar embedded directly in an excavator bucket to detect underground utilities in real time, during excavation, without reliance on pre-project utility data. Through the RodRadar–Xwatch integration, LDR detections trigger an automatic bucket stop via Xwatch’s safety-grade hydraulic control system.
Similar to the automotive industry’s move from driver warnings to automatic emergency braking, the integrated system takes direct action to prevent incidents. RodRadar refers to this approach as Stop-Before-Strike, while operators retain override capability.
“RodRadar has solved the detection problem during excavation,” said Dan Leaney, director of sales at Xwatch Safety Solutions. “By integrating their Live Dig Radar technology directly into our safety-grade hydraulic control, we can physically stop the machine before a strike occurs. That’s the difference between warning about a risk and actually preventing it.”
Yuval Barnea, VP of sales and marketing at RodRadar, added, “Xwatch’s proven track record in safety-grade hydraulic control makes them an ideal partner to bring our zero-strike vision to reality. The integration further closes the safety gap, transforming LDR detections into automatic strike prevention and delivering the industry’s first Stop-Before-Strike solution. We envision this being recommended, and ultimately mandated, by industry stakeholders, project owners, and contractors.”
