Komatsu and Pronto will collaborate to deploy Pronto’s autonomous haulage technologies to North American quarries. Komatsu Smart Quarry Autonomous, powered by Pronto, integrates Pronto’s autonomy technologies into quarry-sized haul trucks and ties into Komatsu’s Smart Quarry solutions.
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The new OEM-agnostic solution will allow quarry operators to retrofit existing Komatsu vehicles or purchase new trucks equipped with Pronto’s self-driving system, enabling 24/7 operation with minimal human intervention. The result is a step-change in operations: promoting safety by removing drivers from the immediate quarry environment, facilitating consistent cycle times with better fuel efficiency, and providing data-driven insights via the Smart Quarry platform designed to optimize the overall operation of quarries.
John Deere Construction is working on an autonomous articulated haul truck for quarry operations.
Pronto’s autonomous technologies utilize advanced artificial intelligence and an array of rugged sensors to perceive the environment and navigate haul roads.
“This collaboration with Pronto accelerates our vision of smart, automated quarry operations,” said Jason Anetsberger, senior director for customer solutions for Komatsu, in a statement. “We have decades of experience with autonomous haulage in large-scale mining. Now we’re bringing that expertise to quarries of all sizes. It’s a solution that helps drive productivity beyond what was previously possible and can support efforts to enhance safety by facilitating the removal of workers from areas of potential hazard.”
Said Anthony Levandowski, Pronto CEO, in a statement:
“Today, by combining Komatsu’s trusted hardware and vast support network with Pronto’s scalable, intelligent autonomous platform, we are fundamentally changing the game. We’re enabling a future of enhanced safety and incredible productivity that is now accessible to quarries of all sizes.”
About the Author
Rod Sutton
Sutton has served as the editorial lead of Construction Equipment magazine and ConstructionEquipment.com since 2001.
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