Applied Intuition, Inc., a vehicle intelligence provider, and Komatsu, a leader in mining and construction equipment, have announced a multi-year strategic partnership to accelerate the development of next-generation intelligent vehicles for the mining industry.
According to the press release, the partnership represents “the most significant technology investment in Komatsu’s history, signaling a bold step toward a future of increasingly autonomous, software-driven mining operations.”
“Applied Intuition will help usher in the next chapter for a company that has helped shape the foundation of the global mining industry,” said Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition. “The mining industry faces a perfect storm: rising costs, safety risks, decarbonization pressures, labor shortages and an increasing demand for critical minerals as a national security imperative. To stay competitive, companies must build smarter machines that can react independently in real time. With Komatsu, we will unlock productivity in some of the world’s harshest operating environments while keeping workers safe.”
Komatsu will harness Applied Intuition’s Vehicle OS to deploy advanced onboard technologies to its vehicles. The company will also leverage Applied Intuition’s autonomy technology and AI-powered tooling for haulage and collision avoidance. Access to these solutions will enable Komatsu to optimize safety and energy efficiency, while increasing overall productivity, accelerating product development, and enabling large-scale decarbonization.
“This partnership represents a step-change in Komatsu’s ability to deliver autonomous solutions to our mining customers,” said Peter Salditt, president, Komatsu Mining Business Division. “Together with Applied Intuition, we’re combining mining expertise with cutting-edge autonomous software capabilities to accelerate the deployment of intelligent machines. This collaboration aligns with our long-term vision to transform mining through innovation, automation and sustainable technology.”
Headquartered in Mountain View, CA, Applied Intuition is a vehicle intelligence company that accelerates the global adoption of safe, AI-driven machines. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion following its recent Series F funding round, Applied Intuition delivers the Vehicle OS, Self-Driving System, and toolchain to help customers build intelligent vehicles and shorten time to market. According to the company, eighteen of the top 20 global automakers and major programs across the Department of Defense use Applied Intuition’s solutions to deliver vehicle intelligence.
Komatsu develops and supplies technologies, equipment and services for the construction, mining, forklift, industrial and forestry markets. The company creates value for its customers through manufacturing and technology innovation, partnering with others to empower a sustainable future where people, business and the planet thrive together. Front-line industries worldwide use Komatsu solutions to develop modern infrastructure, extract fundamental minerals, manage forests and create consumer products.
The partners note that this is a critical time for the mining industry. “As mining companies look to modernize operations and enhance safety through innovation, this presents an opportunity to introduce intelligent systems that reduce risk and improve efficiency. The strategic partnership between Komatsu and Applied Intuition aims to meet this challenge by driving meaningful progress in autonomous haulage, helping reduce incidents on mine sites, optimize fleet performance, and support a safer, more productive future for the industry,” the companies said.
The press release states that the global mining market is projected to grow to $2.78 trillion by 2027. As demand for minerals continues to rise from increasingly complex environments, the mining industry faces a critical opportunity to transform today’s operations. “The mining industry must modernize and build highly intelligent vehicles—using onboard intelligence, AI-driven mapping and safety validation to reduce connectivity reliance and prevent costly mine shutdowns. Together, Applied Intuition and Komatsu are propelling the industry into the next-generation of autonomous platforms.”
Wherever there are wheeled vehicles doing work, autonomous operations likely have a role. Primarily because wherever wheeled vehicles are doing work, there is a driver shortage. Also, an autonomous system can use energy at optimum efficiency and is less likely to have a safety incident – at least this is the aspiration. Komatsu and other OEMs have a lot to lose if this is not the case and thus, they very carefully choose their autonomy suppliers.
Since the turn of the century, autonomous mining has proceeded through several generations of capability, with both robustness and cost-benefit increasing. In addition to Komatsu, this capability is available from Caterpillar, Hitachi, Sandvik, Scania, and Volvo Group.
The non-highway autonomous driving space is vast. Since early this year, driverless trucks have been transporting frack sands in the Permian Basin. AV’s are operating in quarries. Prototypes of autonomous logging transport has been developed and evaluated in the northern forests of Canada. Massive amounts of defense spending will likely result in another generational step change for autonomy.
Wherever there are wheeled vehicles….
