In her first column for iVT, Francesca Protano, head of technology strategy and competence centres at CNH Industrial, explains how her Italian childhood inspired the work she does now
I can trace the roots of my current role back to my childhood. I grew up in a happy family in Puglia, Italy, where the importance and value of meaningful work and capacity to embrace not fear but change, were instilled. I would say that is where my passion for cutting-edge technology comes from; always seeking the new.
After a stint with Fiat Research Centre, I was most recently head of corporate development for technology at CNH International as well managing director of the company’s ventures division.
Noble ideals
Today my team’s vision guides CNH’s R&D community, which is dedicated to conceiving the next generation of machines and technology that will help the world’s farmers grow more food in an environmentally beneficial way, increase quality and profitability by using fewer resources, as well as helping construction workers build the homes, cities and infrastructure of tomorrow.
The roles I have taken down the years cemented my belief that a key element of future R&D is developing strategies for emerging technology, including strategic partnerships. I have met many exciting startups and early-stage companies and learned a lot from these pioneering businesses.
“AI not only makes machines smarter, it also makes them more sustainable – less fertiliser and crop protection are used”
One such start-up was Augmenta. This small Greek firm was focused on developing sense and act technology, which we supported with a minority investment. As we worked alongside them we saw tremendous potential for our customers, which resulted in us acquiring the company in 2023.
Sense-and-act technology enables a machine to ‘see’ what is happening in front of it in real time, and is foundational technology for our automation and robotics journey. Such AI not only makes machines smarter, it also makes them more sustainable – fewer fertiliser and crop protection products are used – and thus more profitable.
What’s so exciting about this technology is that it’s available to customers today, is unique and disruptive – and it gets me excited. Having a tractor communicate to the implement its pulling means two machines talking to each other. This unlocks so much potential for future improvement.
A pragmatic approach to tech
I do believe that technology holds the keys to the future. Tech is one of my passions, but I combine this with a healthy dose of pragmatism. When looking at technological solutions one should not get distracted by the ‘shiny new’, rather we all, and especially me in my currently role, must consider and anticipate what customer needs we are solving, and how we are going to deliver a solution that is both easy to use, and profitable.
So why do R&D strategy and competence centres really matter? In short, we have the responsibility of figuring out what the farmers and builders of tomorrow want and need before they do, developing it quickly, and producing a quality product. It’s a challenge, but like the child I was, I am still always seeking the new, and there is always so much more out there waiting to be discovered. I look forward to sharing the journey with you.
This article also appears in the June/July 2024 edition of iVT International
