How do autonomous haulage systems (AHS) improve cycle times, safety performance, and tyre life compared to manned fleets in large open-pit operations?

The incorporation of automation technology in big open-pit mining projects has revolutionized the norms in heavy industry. Before analyzing how automation technology has brought about revolutionary changes, there is a need to explain three important terms:

Autonomous Haulage Systems (AHS): complex systems of autonomous haul trucks moving on mining sites guided by GPS, LiDAR sensors, and advanced computer algorithms.

Cycle time: the total time involved in a haul truck’s process from loading the ore, transporting it to a specific site, dumping, and getting back into the line of wait.

Tyre life: the effective life of OTR tyres before they reach a point when they need to be replaced due to damage.

Cycle time improvements

AHS drastically reduces cycle times compared to manned truck fleets. Human-operated fleets face delays due to irregular schedules, shift changes, and mandatory breaks. However, AHS enables 24-hour continuous movement of materials. In addition to that, the routes taken by unmanned vehicles are highly optimized. The use of accurate topography analysis results in selection of the optimal routes for unmanned vehicles, thus increasing efficiency and lowering transport time (Aguayo et al., 2021).

Improved safety performances

Safety can be said to be one of the biggest improvements brought by AHS. Open-pit mining entails many risks, such as blind spots, unstable ground, and vehicle accidents. With removal of humans from cabs, there is no risk of humans facing any dangers of these kinds. The vehicles are equipped with a comprehensive camera system, RFID trackers, and proximity sensors that help keep safe distance between the vehicle and others (Aguayo et al., 2021). Thus, the fact that there is no possibility of human fatigue or mistakes has resulted in significant improvement in safety performance, up to 40% fewer safety incidents in some mines (Kaur, 2024).

Achieving maximum tire longevity

OTR tires constitute a sizable investment. Early tire failure, mainly due to bad road surfaces, overloading, and aggressive driving practices, is dangerous and costly (Kunkyin-Saadaari et al., 2025). The differences in human driver behavior in terms of speed, braking, and turns lead to rapid wear of tires. AHS reduces the effects of the variability inherent in human drivers, as it strictly follows the programmed optimal speeds and navigation routes.

References

Aguayo, I. A. O., Nehring, M., & Ullah, G. M. W. (2021). Optimising productivity and safety of the open pit loading and haulage system with a surge loader. Mining, 1(2), 167–179. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining1020011

Kaur, D. (2024). The impact of autonomous vehicles on mining operations: Enhancing safety and productivity through technological advancements. Scholarly Review Journal, SR Online: Showcase. https://doi.org/10.70121/001c.124875

Kunkyin-Saadaari, F., Kesseh, A., & Agadzie, V. K. (2025). GRNN-FA hybrid model for predicting the useful life of dump truck tyres. Journal of Sustainable Mining, 24, 227–249. https://doi.org/10.46873/2300-3960.1451