Mining company Rio Tinto and Scania launched new tests with an autonomous 40-ton truck in April 2022 and, according to their own statements, have reached an important milestone in driverless operation in the simulated loading and transport cycle.
Inthe more mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, are to agile autonomous transport vehicles be further developedin order to achieve environmental and productivity benefits.
The two companies have agreed on a long-term research and development cooperation for the continuous advancement of this autonomous technology, within which Rio Tinto's Channar mine has become the first active partner site for Scania's autonomous mining solution. The partnership also includes options for a future transition to electric vehicles.
Photos: Scania
Santi Pal, Technical Managing Director of the Rio Tinto Group: “Rio Tinto is delighted to be working with Scania to develop a solutionthat will open up new possibilities. Collaboration and partnership are key to reshaping the future of mining (…) Our climate action plan stipulates that we will no longer purchase any new diesel transport vehicles by 2030.”
Collaborating with industry leaders like Scania across a range of sectors is a crucial step towards achieving this goal. Beyond the potential benefits of decarbonization, the partnership also offers a path to potential productivity gains. Peter Hafmar, Vice President and Head of Autonomous Solutions at Scania, stated: “Rio Tinto is the ideal partner and Scania’s first customer when it comes to putting the mining industry on the path to net-zero emissions.”
The autonomous truck in the video
