From a strategic perspective, enabling the efficient and economical extraction of raw materials within the EU without compromising on high work safety and environmental standards is becoming increasingly important. Technologies for autonomous machines in mining and the corresponding expertise are crucial in this regard.
The extraction of raw materials often takes place in inhospitable and dangerous environments. This is why automation in mining is being driven forward. However, the harsh environment also presents a challenge for autonomous systems, requiring particularly robust components and sensors. In a joint project between AIT, the companies Indurad and xtonomy (which have been part of the Hexagon Group since 2024) and voestalpine, two dump trucks were recently developed for fully autonomous shuttle operations at the Steyrling lime mine. A special feature of this solution is its unrivalled robustness in harsh environmental conditions (dust, dirt, snowfall and rain) thanks to the continuous use of special radar-based vehicle environment sensors.
Building on extensive expertise in 3D sensor technology and vehicle environment modelling, AIT developed algorithms for processing radar data to create a map of the workspace in real time. This map is essential for the autonomous vehicle navigation. Another module developed by AIT is used to fuse all onboard sensors in order to determine precise values for the position, orientation and movement of the vehicle. AIT also carries out evaluations and provides consulting services on the subject of sensor calibration.
The autonomous dump trucks have already proven their suitability in practical operation – the productivity target defined by voestalpine (tonnage per shift) has been successfully met. The realisation of the autonomous dump trucks in Steyrling is not only a pioneering achievement for Austria, this solution also plays a leading role on a European and global scale.
Work is now continuing on scaling up the technology. With AIT's help, xtonomy is testing the use of autonomous dump trucks with other mine operators.
