Closer Look: Cat's Next-Gen Articulated Dump Trucks Handle the Hard Stuff for You

Built-in tech handles braking, traction control and safety interventions automatically so operators can focus on hauling. Take a walkaround of the new 725, 730, 730 EJ and 735 ADTs here.

Transcript

Caterpillar debuted its next-generation 725, 730, 730 EJ and 735 articulated dump trucks in September 2025, touting behind-the-scenes tech that allows operators to “just get in it and drive,” according to Cat Market Professional Scott Thomas.   

Standard and optional technology features include:

  • Dynamic Roll Protection
  • Auto Wait Brake (AWB)
  • Dump Body Height Limit (725, 730 and 735)
  • Optional Object Detect and Multiview Camera
  • Optional Operator Coaching

Equipment World got a closer look at the new haulers at ConExpo 2026. For a complete overview, check out our above video with Thomas.

“The articulated truck team from Caterpillar specifically designed the technology that we have on these machines so there’s hardly any operator intervention,” says Thomas. “All of those assist features work behind the scenes without any operator input, so they can concentrate on being productive and safe.”

[Your Next Read: 60 Years After “Gravel Charlie” – Articulated Dump Truck Buyer’s Guide 2026]

In addition, Cat gave the ADTs a new, more efficient engine, an improved interior and increased payload.

The ADTs run on a common Cat C13B diesel engine, rated from 345 to 424 horsepower. The new engine overspeed control works with Automatic Retarder Control (ARC) to manage braking and automatically adjust engine speed, enhancing truck handling and steering response.

All machine functions are now accessible through the keypad or touchscreen, which can be navigated using the integrated jogdial. A new push-to-start ignition stores up to 50 operator IDs.

The redesigned the dump body on the 725, 730 and 735 enables easier loading and increased payload. The exhaust heat system was also rerouted to help minimize material carryback, improving load efficiency and reducing cleanup time.

The 730 EJ ejects the load without raising the body to help maintain machine stability while dispersing material on inclines, side slopes, soft ground and areas with low overhead clearance.

[Related Content: Quick Data: Top-Selling Articulated Dump Trucks and Sales Trends for 2024-2025]

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To see all of the products and technologies unveiled at ConExpo 2026, check out our show coverage page here.

 

 

Transcript

00:00:00:02 - 00:00:20:20

Scott Thomas

The articulated truck team from caterpillar specifically designs the technology that we have on these machines. So there's hardly any operator intervention with that so that you don't have any touch points, you don't have a lot of stuff that you have to do. You just get in it and drive it. And we're so smart with what we can do with auto weight, brakes, ability assist, automatic recharging control, automatic traction control.

 

00:00:20:20 - 00:00:30:14

Scott Thomas

All of those assist features work behind the scenes without any operator input, so they can concentrate on being productive and safe.

 

00:00:30:17 - 00:00:36:09

Jordanne Waldschmidt

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00:00:36:10 - 00:00:59:09

Scott Thomas

All right, so my name is Scott Thomas. I'm the market professional for caterpillar covering articulated trucks. We've got a launch of three new models of 725 at 730, a 730 ejector and then a 735. So the one we've got station behind us is a 730 ejector. But all new models come with a new power plant, the sea 13 B the 725 in the past had a 9.3l.

 

00:00:59:13 - 00:01:22:22

Scott Thomas

The other three had a 13 liter. But now all models have the same power plant, same transmission. Updated cab included in that cab is pushed to start, which gives you machine security. It's got a jog dial. It's got a new soft keypad. It's got an optional object detect and surround vision. So we've got surround vision on the truck.

 

00:01:22:22 - 00:01:40:24

Scott Thomas

We've got four cameras. We have Object Detect and Multi Vision. So we can only see 270 degrees. But still that's really good. So you can see all four sides of the machine. The display is operational where you can touch it and it'll click the left side or the right side. So we've got quite a few new features on the machine.

 

00:01:40:24 - 00:01:56:10

Scott Thomas

Dynamic rollover protection. So if you're going around the corner too fast we know this. And we will eliminate the amount of fuel that we have going towards the engine. And if that's not enough, we will then apply the brakes to keep that machine from going around the corner too fast and tipping over. Another new feature is auto weight brakes.

 

00:01:56:10 - 00:02:19:09

Scott Thomas

So when you come to a stop, if you've enabled it two seconds after you come to a stop, the truck will apply the weight brake so the brakes are being held and you're not doing anything. Seven seconds after that, we neutralize the transmission. So after that initial two seconds, you can take your foot off the brake, and then seven seconds after that, we've neutralized the transmission because we assume you're getting loaded or you're going to wait there for a while when you get loaded, or you need to take off and leave again.

 

00:02:19:10 - 00:02:37:08

Scott Thomas

Again, the truck still can be in gear in drive reverse all you got to do a step on the accelerator. So when you think about a nice assist feature that that operator is going to get used to, that auto weight brakes going to be really nice. So auto weight brake dynamic rollover protection and the camera system are really nice.

 

00:02:37:08 - 00:02:58:24

Scott Thomas

Now let's tie all that together. So now we've got operator coaching. So our engineers have identified 14 different tips. That's going to help the operator be improved on efficiency or safety. And that operator will have a blue star next to each one of those tips. And as he or she does something wrong or doesn't do it to the safe manner, he will lose some color on that star.

 

00:02:58:24 - 00:03:16:16

Scott Thomas

And when you lose enough of them, if you come to a stop and put it in park after a 30s, we're going to pop up on the display and say, hey, you've done this wrong. Why don't you watch this video? There's a wrong way that we'll show you first and then the right way video right after for operator coaching my trucks, leaving a breadcrumb trail everywhere it goes, all day long.

 

00:03:16:16 - 00:03:41:13

Scott Thomas

Well, you know, if you're going around the corner too fast, we know if you're dumping while articulated, we know if you're in the wrong year before you go down the grade for your automatic regarding control to be in a better spot, all of the different 14 tips all get reported back into the back office through Vision Link, so that the people that are monitoring that truck can either work with the operator to get better, or sign up with their dealer to get some operator coaching on site on that product.

 

00:03:41:13 - 00:04:01:02

Scott Thomas

So operator coaching is an option. It's a software enabled attachment, but it's a real nice feature that for if you want to put a new camera on a machine and you can turn that on and then monitor that person for the next month or two and really identify areas that they might need improvement on. That's really going to be beneficial for the life of that machine, the life of that.

 

00:04:01:02 - 00:04:19:05

Scott Thomas

Operator so we're really excited about operator coaching. We've got ground level fuel right now. We're able to take out the NES cooler and change our emissions system set up. So by doing that, we eliminate one of those big cans that goes underneath the hood, which allowed us to bring ground level fuel back. It used to be on the side.

 

00:04:19:05 - 00:04:34:25

Scott Thomas

You have to crawl up the ladder to fuel that machine. So we're excited about that. Looking at the outside of the machine, there's not a whole lot of difference if you were to see this machine from the outside, but a lot of the technologies inside the cab are built in behind the scenes. So make that operator more efficient and productive.

 

00:04:34:25 - 00:04:38:08

Jordanne Waldschmidt

For more videos like this, click the playlist on the screen now.

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