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Autonomous Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles are machines capable of sensing their environment and operating with reduced or no human intervention, using a combination of sensors, cameras, radar, GPS and onboard computing systems. In industrial settings such as mining, autonomous vehicles include driverless trucks, loaders and drilling equipment that can navigate predefined routes or adapt to changing site conditions. The technology aims to improve safety by removing workers from hazardous zones, while also enhancing operational efficiency, reducing downtime and lowering costs associated with human error and fatigue. Mining companies in South Africa and further afield have been exploring autonomous vehicle deployment as part of wider mechanisation and digitalisation strategies, often supported by training providers that use simulation, virtual reality and augmented reality to prepare workers for these systems. Adoption remains uneven across the sector, constrained by high capital costs, infrastructure requirements and the need for a skilled workforce capable of managing and maintaining automated fleets. Regulatory bodies and training authorities, including the Mining Qualifications Authority, have taken an interest in ensuring that workforce development keeps pace with the technology's rollout. Beyond mining, autonomous vehicles are being trialled and deployed in logistics, agriculture and passenger transport globally, though full autonomy in public road use remains limited to specific jurisdictions and use cases. The technology is considered part of the broader Fourth Industrial Revolution wave reshaping heavy industry. Its maturity varies significantly by application, with closed-site industrial use generally more advanced than open-road passenger applications.

Autonomous Vehicles News


Magazine cover image
Miners face new cyber threats as operations become increasingly digital
31st July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

The mining industry’s increasing adoption of digital infrastructure and operational technology systems to support autonomous vehicles, drilling systems and remotely controlled equipment is giving... 


Magazine cover image
Miners face new cyber threats as operations become increasingly digital
31st July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

The mining industry’s increasing adoption of digital infrastructure and operational technology systems to support autonomous vehicles, drilling systems and remotely controlled equipment is giving... 


CiDi equipment
China's CiDi eyes overseas sales of autonomous mining machines this year
24th July 2026 By: Reuters

CiDi, the Hong Kong-listed Chinese autonomous mining equipment maker, expects overseas deployments to grow this year as it expands beyond China, CE Albert Hu told Reuters. CiDi has equipped... 


Automated robot Spot
Mariana Minerals rolls out automated inspection robot Spot at Copper One
23rd July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

Further to Mariana Minerals' world's only autonomy-first mine and refinery strategy, the company is implementing Boston Dynamics' quadruped robot, Spot, at its Copper One facility near Moab, in... 


Creamer Media mine technology webinar speakers
Panel agrees mine technologies are immense ‘winning’ determinators of the present and future
16th July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

The single-biggest opportunity for modern mining companies to become sustainable and predictive is through technology, explosives manufacturer BME GM Nishen Haripersad told attendees of a webinar... 


Investing in competence despite fuel price volatility
Investing in competence despite fuel price volatility
14th July 2026

By: Jacques Farmer - MD at PRISMA Training Solutions  In the mining industry, the real instability often lies not underground, but in global market conditions. A volatile mix of geopolitical... 


6G subscriptions to reach 180m by 2031
5th December 2025 By: Natasha Odendaal

Global 6G subscriptions are forecast to reach 180-million by the end of 2031, excluding the early adoption of AI-enabled Internet of Things devices such as autonomous vehicles, smart glasses and... 


Innovation at the core of XCMG Green Summit 2025
Innovation at the core of XCMG Green Summit 2025
24th October 2025

The XCMG Green Summit 2025, held in Xuzhou and Hulunbuir, in China, brought together mining industry leaders from across the world to experience first-hand how innovation and sustainability are... 


Sweden at IMARC: sample the energy, (re)vibes, ingenuity and fika
2nd October 2025

By: Richard Roberts - Editorial Director, Beacon Events Business Sweden senior consultant Karin Ericsson says the first-ever Swedish Pavilion at IMARC 2025 will be Team Sweden’s largest export... 


Tech That Thinks for Itself: Agentic AI to Take Centre Stage at Mining Indaba 2026
Tech That Thinks for Itself: Agentic AI to Take Centre Stage at Mining Indaba 2026
1st October 2025

Artificial intelligence is no longer a buzzword in mining. It is the industry’s next strategic battleground. At Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026, the conversation will move beyond hype to... 


Massive infrastructure at a mine site
Mining sector must embrace ethical tech shift
15th August 2025 By: Devina Haripersad

The mining sector is at a “critical turning point”, as rapid advances in digital and automation technologies, particularly AI, redefine how mines operate and compete, says mining equipment... 


Image of a heavy duty vehicle in an underground mine
Innovative technology makes mines smarter and safer
29th July 2025

Proximity detection and collision avoidance technologies for underground and surface mining operations are becoming increasingly innovative and Booyco Electronics asserts that it is leading the... 


Booyco Electronics' PDS and CAS technologies are engineered to protect mine workers in both underground and surface operations, where safety is paramount
Booyco Electronics power safer mining with PDS technology
30th June 2025

With the mining industry under increasing pressure to prioritise safety without compromising productivity, Booyco Electronics is pushing the boundaries of Proximity Detection System (PDS) and... 


Machine vision, now in 4D
Machine vision, now in 4D
26th June 2025

By: Johan Potgieter - Cluster Industrial Software Lead at Schneider Electric What is machine vision? By definition, it allows automated systems to “see” the real world; an ocular implant for... 


Adam Lancey speaking at the Global Resources Innovation Expo 2025.
BHP’s Lancey calls for innovation and partnerships to future-proof mining
23rd May 2025 By: Mariaan Webb

Diversified mining company BHP’s Adam Lancey has called on the industry to “seek better ways” and embrace unconventional thinking, warning that it risks falling behind as technological innovation... 


Maserati MC20 sets new autonomous world speed record
18th April 2025 By: Irma Venter

The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) has set a new autonomous – in other words, there is no human in the car – driving world record at the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) at the... 


Securing the future: Cybersecurity imperatives in automated transport and logistics
26th March 2025

The transport and logistics sector is undergoing a seismic shift driven by automation, with technologies like autonomous vehicles, AI-driven supply chains, and IoT-enabled tracking revolutionising... 


A large grader type machine in an underground tunnel fitted with PDS technology to avoid collisions
Proximity detection systems advanced through new tech
28th February 2025

The ever-evolving world of electronic technology is driving significant advancements in proximity detection systems (PDS), delivering improved functionality to mining and industrial customers,... 


Sustainable Innovation and Automation take center stage at Bauma 2025
Sustainable Innovation and Automation take center stage at Bauma 2025
24th February 2025

CASE Construction Equipment is returning to Bauma, the world’s leading trade fair for construction equipment machinery, as a finalist in both the Digital and the Mechanical Engineering categories... 


Image of bucket wheel reclaimer
Capanema maximisation project, Brazil – update
6th December 2024 By: Sheila Barradas

The project is being commissioned. 


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pqt: 0.076s - ct: 0.133s - 277pq - 2rq
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