Bluelight Launches Autopilot for Asphalt Rollers
The retrofit autonomy kit automates compaction on Caterpillar CW16 and CW34 nine-wheel pneumatic-tire rollers.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Robotics
Bluelight Machines introduced Autopilot, a retrofit autonomy kit that automates asphalt compaction on Caterpillar CW16 and CW34 nine-wheel pneumatic-tire rollers. Autopilot is available now through Bluelight dealers or Bluelight Direct.
Why it matters
The kit brings autonomous operation to existing paving equipment rather than requiring new machines, lowering the barrier for contractors to adopt the technology. Its use on active public works projects shows the system is being applied in real jobsite conditions.
Autopilot uses RTK GPS, forward- and rear-facing cameras with onboard AI, and electronic steering control, and can detect people, vehicles, heavy equipment, cones and stakes. The manufacturer reports nearly 200 Bluelight retrofit autonomy kits on machines at more than 300 jobsites, but no independent validation of performance is provided.
The players
Bluelight Machines
Bluelight Machines is the manufacturer that developed the Autopilot retrofit autonomy kit and sells its autonomous compaction systems through dealers and direct channels.
Caterpillar
Caterpillar is a global heavy equipment manufacturer whose CW16 and CW34 nine-wheel pneumatic-tire rollers are compatible with the Autopilot kit.
Granite
Granite is a large American construction and materials company that is using Autopilot in its Arizona region.
C.W. Matthews Contracting
C.W. Matthews Contracting is a Georgia-based heavy civil contractor using Autopilot on the I-285 rebuild project.
The details
The autonomous roller follows the paving mat based on operator inputs including corridor, speed, overlap, number of passes and distance behind the paver, and can still be run manually with the kit installed. Granite uses Autopilot in its Arizona region, and C.W. Matthews Contracting uses it on the I-285 rebuild in Georgia; the system can be controlled from any device with a browser.
Timeline
• November 4, 2026: Bluelight introduces the Autopilot autonomy kit for asphalt rollers.
The Tech Race
Autopilot retrofits the widely used Caterpillar CW16 and CW34 nine-wheel pneumatic-tire rollers, extending autonomy to machines already on jobsites rather than requiring new purchases. Its parts overlap more than 90 percent with Bluelight's soil compaction and ADT kits, a modular approach that lets one manufacturer spread engineering across several equipment categories.
Contractors with existing Caterpillar CW16 or CW34 rollers can add autonomous compaction for under $50,000 including hardware, subscription and training, with installation taking less than two hours. The kit can still be run manually, so crews retain the option to operate the roller by hand.
The takeaway
Retrofit autonomy kits let contractors test automated compaction on equipment they already own rather than committing to new machines. Buyers should weigh the reported deployment figures against their own jobsite conditions before adopting the system.
Further reading
For more on how autonomous machines are moving onto job sites, explore our Robotics coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Equipment World.
