Two mining technology giants have joined forces to disrupt the mining industry, with plans to develop what they say will be the first driverless electric dump truck.

Conventional diesel-powered dump trucks are the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions from mining vehicles, producing a whopping 192 million tonnes of harmful carbon emissions annually, according to IDTechEx.

However, as Electrek reported, mining technology companies Liebherr and Fortescue have set out to transform these massive, diesel-guzzling machines into climate-friendly electric versions that can still do the job.

At the Fortescue Christmas Creek Mine in Western Australia, efforts began last month to upgrade four Liebherr T 264 haul trucks to fully autonomous electric haul trucks at a purpose-built on-site facility. Electrek noted that the companies are also testing Liebherr’s electric excavators at the site.

The self-driving trucks will not only make mining operations more efficient, they will also benefit surrounding communities and miners by reducing their exposure to harmful pollutants.

“Our joint efforts will benefit not only Fortescue, but all customers who choose to implement Liebherr technology products on their construction sites,” said Oliver Weiss, Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Engineering and Production at Liebherr Mining, in a press release.

According to Liebherr, the partnership began in 2022 when the companies planned to develop a zero-emissions transport solution to make mining more sustainable, drawing on their experience in equipment manufacturing and battery-electric technology.

Now, with the autonomous driving feature, they are taking this vision to the next level. Liebherr says that once the autonomous transport solution is ready for use, it can be integrated into other machines such as drills, water trucks and other heavy-duty trucks.

The companies are working on developing the system’s complex functions, including an “integrated fleet management system and machine guidance solution” that Liebherr says can operate independently and without human intervention.

Once the system is completed, the autonomous transport solution will be rolled out to all Fortescue mine sites worldwide. Liebherr will also make the AHS technology available to its global mining customers as it expands its product offering.

“With this development, we can offer a complete AHS to the global market,” said Weiss. “These innovative technologies are part of our growing range of technology products and another step forward in our strategy to become a complete solution provider for the mining industry.”

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