JLG Industries, Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced two forthcoming additions to its ClearSky Smart Fleet IoT platform: Digital Access Control and Over-the-Air (OTA) Machine Software Updates. The features will operate through the platform’s single connectivity beacon on JLG mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and telehandlers.
According to the company, the enhancements are intended to digitize manual tasks and expand the platform’s role in connected fleet management. “With these new enhancements, we’re not just enabling connectivity — we’re empowering action,” says Ara Eckel, director of product management for connected solutions at JLG. “This is a critical step forward in delivering a comprehensive digitized customer experience that transforms how fleets are managed.”
The new Digital Access Control feature allows fleet owners and managers to restrict or enable machine operation through the ClearSky Smart Fleet mobile app, eliminating keypad entry.
Users will be able to select from three machine states:
The function works across ClearSky Smart Fleet-equipped assets with an active subscription and does not require additional hardware. Eckel notes that shifting access control into the app supports future developments such as role-based permissions and jobsite-level access profiles. “This evolution from keypad to cloud-connected control reflects JLG’s broader strategy: Transitioning from simply connecting machines to connecting job sites,” he adds.
The second enhancement digitizes the machine software update process. Annual ANSI-required updates typically require technicians to physically connect to each MEWP. OTA updates will allow:
The update process is designed to reduce labor and downtime while meeting compliance requirements. “By digitizing machine software updates, we’re eliminating unnecessary physical interaction and delivering the time efficiencies our customers expect from IoT,” says Eckel. “This is a capability customers ask for; JLG listened and is the first to provide it in access equipment.”
JLG states that the additions expand ClearSky Smart Fleet’s existing tools, which include diagnostics, remote troubleshooting and site-level network capabilities. “These latest innovations demonstrate how JLG is transforming ClearSky Smart Fleet from a system that simply collects data into a hands-on digital tool that helps customers manage their fleets more efficiently and securely,” concludes Eckel.
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