Building on its legacy of innovation in autonomous mining, Komatsu has accomplished the significant milestone of autonomously operating a power agnostic electric drive truck while connected to a dynamic trolley line.
Komatsu’s trolley assist system is a solution designed to help operations reduce carbon emissions, extend engine life and support the journey toward a zero-emissions future. By connecting haul trucks to an overhead power line during uphill travel, the system delivers electric power where it’s needed most, improving energy efficiency and enabling trucks to travel on grade faster when compared to standard diesel models. Integrating this with Komatsu’s FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System introduces new capabilities in mining automation, enabling further fuel savings and productivity gains.
This achievement marks the first time in the mining industry’s history that power has been transferred to a moving, autonomously operated haul truck via a trolley system. The accomplishment represents a critical step in Komatsu’s commitment to helping mining customers reduce emissions and enhance productivity through advanced electrification and autonomous solutions.
“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. “The ability to seamlessly transfer power to a moving truck operating without a driver is a pivotal achievement in our roadmap toward decarbonizing mining operations and provides the pathway for managing battery operated trucks autonomously.”
Komatsu launched FrontRunner in 2008, pioneering the world’s first commercial application of autonomous haulage. Today, with a fleet of more than 875 autonomous haul trucks commissioned worldwide, Komatsu customers have collectively hauled over 10 billion metric tons of material. A primary enabler of moving that amount of material is due to Komatsu’s autonomous haulage solution working with ultra-class trucks, such as the 980E with a 363 metric ton payload capacity.
This breakthrough further underscores Komatsu’s commitment to delivering integrated solutions that create value for our customers. By uniting the proven reliability of electric drive trucks with the autonomous capabilities of FrontRunner, Komatsu continues to offer mining customers solutions to achieve their productivity goals, reduce total cost of ownership and help meet the increasing global demand for essential minerals in a more efficient and responsible manner.