Ask Ignacio Gast贸n, head of one of the world鈥檚 largest infrastructure contractors, what he sees as the biggest opportunity for his company in 2025 and the answer is clear: Technology.

Spanish-Dutch infrastructure group Ferrovial, which builds major infrastructure projects like highways, airports and stadiums all over the world, has put technology at the forefront of its efforts to improve efficiencies and competitiveness.

Ignacio Gasto虂n, CEO of Ferrovial Construction. Photo: Ferrovial

鈥淭he biggest opportunity for the construction sector in 2025 is to continue leveraging automation, AI, and data-driven tools to enhance efficiency, accuracy and safety,鈥� Gast贸n, who is CEO of Ferrovial Construction, tells Construction Briefing.

Ferrovial claimed to be the first infrastructure company to provide its employees with a generative artificial intelligence tool, allowing them to analyse information, and summarise and translate documents in a secure data environment, in 2023.

In September last year, it revealed that more than 300 employees working in its work centres in more than 15 countries around the world saved an average of 90 minutes per week per employee by using Microsoft鈥檚 AI assistant Copilot. Ferrovial and Microsoft have extended their partnership in generative AI until 2027 and Ferrovial has said it wants to get to a point where all employees use AI to develop new skills and optimise collaboration between teams.

The two companies have been working closely on digitalisation and innovative solutions for sustainable infrastructure, including advanced cybersecurity capabilities, incorporating sensors into infrastructure, and tools to collect and manage sustainability information.

鈥淐reating innovative spaces that meet the needs of a fast moving, interconnected world is in our DNA, and we are committed to fostering the consistent drive for growth wherever we can,鈥� Gast贸n says.

Why Ferrovial wants to make greater use of machine control

One of Ferrovial鈥檚 key drives this year is to increase the uptake of machine control on the vast fleets of construction equipment it rents around the world.

Machine control systems, used in some countries for nearly 20 years, continue to advance and allow earthworks machinery to be accurately positioned using 3D design models and GPS data.

Gast贸n sees the technology not just as a way of improving accuracy on jobsites but also as a tool to attract employees.

鈥淎dopting machine control can attract more tech-savvy talent who are drawn to innovation,鈥� he says. 鈥淎s technology continues to evolve within the construction industry, we anticipate the creation of new opportunities with fresh skillsets that may not have existed in years past. For example, future machine operators will need to understand GPS systems, interpret 3D models, and have basic coding or troubleshooting abilities, shifting the focus from manual operation to technical proficiency.鈥�

Ferrovial鈥檚 US subsidiary Webber set up a trial with tech partner Trimble to gauge just how much machine control could drive efficiencies.

The exercise involved asking a senior operator with 30 years鈥� experience and a junior operator with just a year鈥檚 experience to dig four identical drainage pits measuring 25 feet by 25 feet using machine control technology at a state highway project near Brazoria, Texas.

Image: Ferrovial

The experienced operator was able to reduce the amount of time taken to dig his ponds from 22 minutes without using the technology to 15 minutes with it, and to improve accuracy from 65% without the tech to 95% with it.

But there were even more dramatic improvements for the inexperienced operator. They nearly halved the amount of time it took to complete the task from 40 minutes to 25 minutes and improve accuracy from 35% without the tech to 95% with it.

鈥淭he trial reinforced our confidence in scaling these technologies,鈥� says Gast贸n. 鈥淛unior operators appreciated how the technology simplified tasks and accelerated their learning curve, while senior operators valued the precision and reduced physical strain. Many realised that automation enhanced their roles. Throughout the project, operators became more confident as they used the technology and could focus deeper on the quality of the work.鈥�

Gast贸n expects the impact of this kind of technology to go much further. For now, operators are still needed for safety, oversight and troubleshooting, with semi-autonomous machines still requiring human input for decision-making in complex or dynamic environments.

But he adds, 鈥淲ith advancements in AI and autonomous vehicle technology, I expect the role of the operator to shift further toward remote supervision or fleet management. Fully autonomous systems are on the horizon, but widespread adoption depends on regulatory frameworks, liability considerations, and industry readiness.鈥�

Progress in this area would not be uniform, however. 鈥淎doption of machine control systems is not universal because of a variety of reasons: upfront costs, the need for skilled operators and data management personnel, and regulatory landscapes in various territories,鈥� he says.

Ferrovial鈥檚 US focus

It was perhaps appropriate that the trial was led by Webber in the US. The region accounted for 49% of Ferrovial鈥檚 construction order book last year, equating to US$17.4 billion worth of work.

Ferrovial teams use machine control. Image: Ferrovial

The company transferred its headquarters from Spain to the Netherlands in 2023, in a move aimed in part at speeding up the 73-year-old company鈥檚 application for a listing on a US stock exchange. That would help Ferrovial, which is still part-owned by Spain鈥檚 billionaire Del Pino family, to access increased funding in its largest market.

A high level of government-backed spending in the US through initiatives like former president Joe Biden鈥檚 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has contributed to Ferrovial鈥檚 success in the US. In 2023 alone, it picked up nearly US$1.3 billion worth of road construction projects in Texas and Florida while in Europe the company is working on plans to extend Catalonia鈥檚 R2 commuter rail system.

Although Donald Trump has issued an executive order telling government agencies to pause giving out IIJA funds, it鈥檚 the knock-on effects of a high order backlog that top the list of Gast贸n鈥檚 concerns for the year ahead: Finding enough skilled staff and suitable building materials.

The issue of buying in materials could be exacerbated by the threat of trade tariffs on imports to the US.

鈥淐ompanies should be prepared to address the potential impact of inflation on materials pricing and labour shortages,鈥� says Gast贸n. 鈥淏ut I believe it will be another strong year for infrastructure.鈥�