Komatsu Achieves Autonomous Milestone

Komatsu announces it has become the first in the mining industry to autonomously operate an electric drive haul truck connected to an overhead trolley line. The trial involved integrating Komatsu’s FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System with its trolley assist technology, allowing a power-agnostic electric drive truck to receive energy in motion while operating without a driver. This combination is designed to reduce fuel use, improve energy efficiency on uphill hauls, and support longer engine life.

Komatsu says the milestone supports its broader strategy to decarbonize mining and introduce more efficient, autonomous operations. The company adds that more than 875 of its autonomous haul trucks are now in use globally, and that its ultra-class 980E model was involved in this recent trial. Komatsu first introduced FrontRunner in 2008, and reports that the system has enabled customers to move over 10 billion metric tons of material to date.

“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our commitment to improving our integrated technology strategy, combining autonomous haulage with dynamic energy transfer and trolley capabilities,” said Martin Cavassa, Director, Global Business Development Autonomous Systems, Komatsu.

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