Komatsu, Applied Intuition partner to accelerate mining technology

The jointly developed platform will introduce advanced machine intelligence to next-generation Komatsu mining equipment. (Source: Komatsu)

Komatsu has entered into a strategic technology collaboration with Applied Intuition, a Silicon Valley-based vehicle intelligence company, that will combine Applied Intuition’s capabilities across vehicle operating systems, autonomy stacks and tooling, and Komatsu’s experience in off-highway autonomy and mining applications, to co-develop a unified software-defined vehicle (SDV) and autonomy platform. This platform will serve as the central brain of Komatsu’s next generation of mining equipment.

The jointly developed platform will introduce advanced machine intelligence through such features as:

• Software-defined vehicle architecture that will enable continuous feature delivery over the life of the machine, with native integration of data management, digital security and connected support.
• Flexible autonomy capabilities ranging from advanced operator assist to full autonomy on a common platform, adaptable across fleets, commodities and operational complexities.
• Embedded machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) that supports functional enhancements and continuous learning, enabling site-specific optimization as conditions change.

Komatsu said it expects mining customers to benefit from improved equipment performance, reduced downtime and increased return on investment through its next-generation autonomy systems. It added that the enhanced architecture aims to enable faster deployment, simplified support and scalable solutions that extend across mine sizes and geographies.

According to Peter Salditt, president, Mining Business Division, Komatsu and CEO, Komatsu Mining Technologies, the collaboration “represents a step change” in how the company brings high-performance technology to customer operations. “By combining Komatsu’s deep mining expertise with Applied Intuition’s cutting-edge AI and SDV solutions, we’re enabling a future where our equipment continuously evolves to meet customers’ unique mine site needs,” he stated.

“The mining industry is one of the most regulated in the world,” Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, added, “and as the bar keeps rising around emissions, human safety and geopolitics, Applied Intuition and Komatsu plan to build the next generation of mining products and redefine modern software product development.”