Recently we were given the rare opportunity to visit Komatsu’s secretive Arizona Proving Grounds. So rare, in fact, that it was the first time the press has been allowed inside Komatsu America’s research and development facility for mining equipment.
While we were there we were given an in-depth look at how the company’s Autonomous Haulage System works. AHS operates and manages fleets of self-driving mining trucks. The system is currently in place at mines in three locations around the globe. Since its inception, the system has moved 2 billion metric tons of material.
You can read more about AHS and how it works in our coverage here. But if you’re wondering what it’s like to ride in one of these autonomous trucks, you’re in luck. Komatsu didn’t just let us visit and look at these AHS trucks. They also let us hop in the cab and go along for a ride.
In the video below, you’ll join us for a ride in a 930 haul truck. The route took us uphill to a simulated dump site, and then back downhill to the staging site.