The power of play as a teaching tool

CATERPILLAR’S LIFE-SIZE HOT WHEELS RACE TRACK SHOWCASES THE VALUE OF STEM EDUCATION AND THE LATEST IN CAT MACHINE INNOVATION

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Caterpillar manufactures some of the most advanced machinery in the world—excavators capable of moving mountains, generators that can power entire hospitals, road graders that move with millimeter precision. But there’s more to these machines than raw horsepower and cutting-edge GPS technology.

To show just how capable they are, Caterpillar created the Cat Trials. Unlike traditional proving grounds, the Cat Trials take a decidedly unfussy approach to putting heavy machinery through its paces. Previous Trials have featured skilled operators playing an oversized game of Jenga with 600-pound playing pieces and a collection of autonomous bucket loaders playing PAC-MAN on a 30,000-squarefoot game board. For the most recent one, Cat Trial 11: Hot Wheels, Caterpillar created a life-sized racecourse.

Here, Kelly Kyer, Caterpillar’s global brand strategy and activation manager, reveals the strategy behind the company larger-than-life challenges.

Why did Caterpillar start the Cat Trials?