How Rio Tinto achieved 15% cost reduction through autonomous haul trucks in the Pilbara
Komatsu AHS smoothed haul cycles and reduced idle time, delivering 700 additional hours per truck annually with zero safety incidents.
Context
The operation struggled with cycle-time variability and rising haulage costs due to pit expansion, driver fatigue, and shift changes causing delays. Manual operations created inconsistent haul cycles and queueing at loading points.
Solution
Rio Tinto deployed Komatsu's Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) which smoothed haul cycles, reduced queueing, and improved speed consistency. The system operates from a central operations centre coordinating fleet movements and optimizing routes in real-time.
Results
The autonomous fleet achieved a 15% reduction in load-and-haul costs and delivered approximately 700 additional operating hours per truck per year. Importantly, zero AHS-related incidents were recorded, demonstrating significant safety improvements alongside operational gains.
Data Inputs
GPS positioning, truck telemetry, pit mapping, production schedules