Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - October 2023 - 13

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS
" Just as important is
the sophistication and
optimization of the jobsite
processes. What good is
an autonomous vehicle if it
doesn't know where to go? "
- Jason Anetsberger, Komatsu
Director of Customer Solutions
sustainability, and that can be realized
through the digital transformation.
" When I go to end-users and ask
them what the future of the jobsite
looks like, they say automation. And we
are progressing in that direction. But
what's just as important is the sophistication
and optimization of the jobsite
processes, " Anetsberger said. " What
good is an autonomous vehicle if it
doesn't know where to go? "
According to Anetsberger, this currently
is the biggest challenge. Many
times, customers give directives verbally,
but if the construction industry
can get on the same page in terms of
digital processes, the digital transformation
will occur much more efficiently.
In the future, the construction industry
will work toward achieving a jobsite in
which digital tasks are created from the
optimal construction plan, and autonomy
works in harmony with the machinery
on a jobsite, he said. So many of the
tools and equipment used on a jobsite
currently collect data - from telematics
to terrain data. Drones allow for surveying
the jobsite accurately. And a worker
with a smartphone is the most flexible
and perhaps useful information source
available, according to Anetsberger, as
end-users can take that data and compile
it to utilize it to its fullest.
" If we do it right a lot of these solutions
are fairly simple and easy to
adopt, and the value they bring is almost
immediate, " Anetsberger said.
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
(AEM) contributed this story. The AEM
trade group represents off-road equipment
manufacturers and suppliers with more than
1,000 companies and 200 product lines.
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
AUTONOMOUS
Liebherr deploys autonomous mining truck fleet
Liebherr will be deploying a fleet of four autonomous
T 264 trucks for validation testing later this year.
Liebherr's mining division has announced
that it will be conducting onsite
validation tests of its autonomous
T 264 mining trucks. The validation
testing reportedly will take place later
this year at a mining site located in
western Australia.
" After significant research, development
and program planning, Liebherr is
excited to announce the commencement
of onsite Autonomous Haulage Solution
(AHS) validation as we move to deploy
the next generation of autonomy technology
for mining equipment, " Scott
Bellamy, divisional general manager,
product management, said in a press
release announcing the project. " This
deployment not only represents Liebherr
Mining's market introduction of the AHS,
but also highlights Liebherr's continued
expansion as a technology solution provider
for the mining industry. "
According to Liebherr's announcement,
the company has completed extensive
internal validation testing of its
AHS at the firm's U.S.-based mining
technology development center. The
fleet being deployed for validation
testing in Australia will consist of four
T 264 trucks.
The T 264 is Liebherr's offering in the
240-ton truck class. It is rated for a 265ton
(240,400-kg) payload with a gross
vehicle weight of 459 tons (416,400 kg).
The powertrain of the T 264 offers a
peak output of 2,700 hp (2,013 kW) by
way of a Cummins QSK 60, a Liebherr
D9812 or an MTU 16V4000 C23 engine.
These powertrain options are paired with
a Litronic Plus AC drive system as well as
electric AC induction wheel motors rated
at 4,425 hp (3,300 kW).
Liebherr's autonomous drive system
features an array of autonomous solutions
that will be integrated into a single
central control system via the use of
standardized " Open Protocols. "
Liebherr's goal is to provide customers
with the latitude to choose their preferred
combinations of equipment, onboard
autonomous solutions and central
control platforms.
Liebherr states that this latest step of
validation testing marks a new stage of
the company's strategy to accelerate
development of new autonomous products
for the mining industry. " Along
with the first deployment of the autonomy
solution, Liebherr has expanded
its autonomy project team to include
onsite support for the duration of the
AHS validation program, " Bellamy said.
" However, our focus is to ensure the
organization can support in the future
not only this exciting project, but also
future AHS deployments across multiple
customers and regions. "
Matt Wolfe
October 2023 13
LIEBHERR
Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - October 2023

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