Komatsu, Pronto partner on autonomous quarry solution

Komatsu, a global mining and construction equipment OEM, and Pronto, a Silicon Valley-based off-road autonomy provider, have announced a strategic collaboration to deploy autonomous haulage technologies to quarry operations in North America.

An autonomous Komatsu HD605-10 running on Komatsu Smart Quarry Autonomous, powered by Pronto, being loaded at Komatsu’s Arizona Proving Grounds. (Photo: Komatsu)

According to the announcement, the partnership centers around the launch of Komatsu Smart Quarry, powered by Pronto. The system will integrate Pronto’s autonomy technologies – which utilize advanced artificial intelligence and an array of sensors to perceive the environment and navigate haul roads – into quarry-sized haul trucks and tie them into Komatsu’s Smart Quarry fleet management and analytics suite.

The OEM-agnostic solution will be designed to 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 solution is intended to promote safety by removing drivers from the immediate quarry environment, facilitate consistent cycle times with better fuel efficiency and provide data-driven insights to optimize overall quarry operations.

“This collaboration with Pronto accelerates our vision of smart, automated quarry operations,” said Jason Anetsberger, Komatsu’s senior director for Customer Solutions. “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.”

Anthony Levandowski, CEO of Pronto, said the companies “are fundamentally changing the game” through this combination of technologies – “enabling a future of enhanced safety and incredible productivity that is now accessible to quarries of all sizes.”