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MINING · AUTONOMY

What Is Autonomous Mining?

Autonomous mining uses driverless haul trucks, drills, loaders and dozers that operate without a person in the cab. The machines combine GNSS positioning, LiDAR, radar and cameras with onboard computers and a site control system, so they can haul, drill and load around the clock while keeping people out of hazardous areas.

01

The Short Answer

Mines suit autonomy well: routes are repetitive, sites are controlled, and the work is dangerous. Driverless haul trucks have been in commercial use for years, and automation is spreading to drilling, loading and support vehicles, with supervisors overseeing several machines from a control room.

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    Accurate positioning GNSS with corrections keeps machines on their planned routes.
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    Perception LiDAR, radar and cameras detect obstacles, people and other vehicles.
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    Rugged onboard compute Sealed, vibration-tested computers process sensor data in real time.
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    Reliable networking Site-wide wireless links connect machines to the control system.
02

Why It Matters

The same rugged AI computers serve mining and construction machines. Our construction case study covers mining trucks, dozers and loaders, and our LiDAR FAQ explains the sensor. See our rugged Jetson computers and work in autonomous and unmanned systems.