Komatsu establishes ‘center of excellence’ for its autonomous haulage trucks

Mining vehicles giant Komatsu has created what it describes as a “center of excellence” for its massive autonomous haulage trucks.

The company says the new facility brings together product, technology and service experts from across the company.

The official name of the facility Center of Excellence for Autonomous Haulage Systems, its driverless trucks. 

The Tucson, Arizona-based CoE team will be responsible for AHS strategy, planning, marketing, sales support and training. Komatsu says this will enable it to respond faster to customers’ needs in the rapidly expanding autonomous environment.

Jim Nishiura, VP global mining business division, Komatsu, says: “This is a major step forward for Komatsu’s unified approach to mining.

“Our diversified FrontRunner AHS team is united by common goals, workflows and strategies to deliver maximum value to our customers as well as our customer-facing teams and distributors.”

Shingo Hori, formerly AHS group manager for KLTD, and Anthony Cook, formerly VP AHS and communications for modular mining, have been appointed as co-GMs of the CoE.

These organizational changes are focused on Komatsu’s business strategy to continually improve company performance and deliver increased value to customers.

Since its commercial release 11 years ago, Komatsu’s AHS has achieved the unprecedented milestone of more than two billion tons of surface material moved autonomously – more than all other commercial mining autonomous haulage systems combined.