Volvo

VOLVO PLACES THE FIRST SELF-DRIVING TRUCK IN AN UNDERGROUND MINE

Volvo has put its first fully autonomous truck – the Volvo FMX – to the test at underground operations at the Kristineberg mine in Sweden, Mining Weekly reports.

 

The mine, owned by metals company Boliden, was opened in 1940 and is the oldest in operation in the area. Over the next year and a half, four self-driving Volvo FMX trucks will be tested at the mine.

 

Once fully operational, the first self-driving truck will cover a distance of seven kilometers, reaching 1,320 meters underground. It will travel down to the loading area where the actual mining is done, and then to the crusher to discard its load.

 

The trucks will be equipped with a system incorporating radar/laser-based sensors. This system is used to monitor the mine’s geometry and to generate a map of the route that the truck has to traverse. This information is used to regulate the vehicle’s steering, gear changes and speed.

 

On every new trip, the sensors continuously scan the area around the truck. The truck also continuously monitors its surroundings and avoids both fixed and moving obstacles. If an obstacle or a person appears near the self-driving truck, the vehicle stops automatically and the transport management center is alerted. Of the six sensors included in the system, there are always two that monitor the same part of the truck’s surroundings. If a fault occurs with the truck, it can be remotely operated from the transport management center.

 

Volvo promises that the new trucks are programmed with precise route planning and steady speed, so there should be no congestion, which means it should be possible to cut loading and unloading times. The company also promises lower fuel consumption and less wear and tear.

 

“This is the world’s first fully self-driving truck to operate under such tough conditions. It is a true challenge to ensure that everything works meticulously more than 1,300 meters underground,” says Volvo Group chief technology officer Torbjorn Holmstrom.

 

You can watch a video of the truck in action right here.

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