Komatsu First to Operate Autonomous Haulage System over Dedicated Private LTE Network

Komatsu America Corp., a leading global heavy equipment manufacturer,
today announced the FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) has
qualified to operate on private long-term evolution (LTE) mobile
broadband technology. This is the mining industry’s first AHS enabled to
run on private LTE in commercial operations, making way for ultra-high
system availability and reliability, while adhering to Komatsu’s
renowned safety standards.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190120005012/en/

A Komatsu Autonomous Haul Truck in operation at a customer mine site. (Photo: Business Wire)

Komatsu’s FrontRunner AHS allows unmanned operation of ultra-class
mining trucks and is critical to the mining industry. FrontRunner
delivers significant benefits, including reduced worker exposure to
harm, protocols designed to constantly improve mine-site safety, reduced
operating costs, and increased productivity and efficiency. The company
completed a year-long qualification program at the company’s proving
grounds in Tucson, Arizona, conducting extensive testing of the
FrontRunner AHS on Nokia’s Future X infrastructure, a leading provider
of private LTE communication solutions for the mining industry.

Mining operators demand wireless networks with high-availability,
seamless mobility, world class Quality of Service (QoS), and the ability
to support multiple applications and services simultaneously.
Accordingly, the industry is moving away from less predictable wireless
technologies such as Wi-Fi, and towards private LTE networks, that
improve security, capacity, and overall performance within a
multi-application environment.

“This industry milestone represents a key step in Komatsu’s exploration
of private LTE and highlights Nokia’s role as the leading global
supplier of mission-critical solutions and services for the mining
industry,” said Luiz Steinberg, Komatsu Global Officer and President/CEO
of Modular Mining Systems. “As the leader in autonomous haulage
technology, we are firmly on our way to helping the industry move the
next billion tons of material with autonomous technology. We have come
together with Nokia to further this vision of delivering increased value
to the mining industry.”

“We are excited to be engaging the mining automation market with
Komatsu, a powerhouse in the industry, to further highlight the benefits
of Future X for mining companies as a strategic advantage in their
operations,” said Kathrin Buvac, President of Nokia Enterprise. “Private
LTE is a key element in the Nokia Bell Labs Future X architecture to
help industries such as mining create an intelligent, dynamic,
high-performance network that increases the safety, productivity and
efficiency of their business.”

Komatsu pioneered the first AHS for the mining industry with a
commercial deployment in 2008 at CODELCO’s Gabriela Mistral (Gaby)
copper mine in Chile. Komatsu’s ongoing commitment to accelerate the
pace of AHS adoption and innovation is reflected in the company’s other
recent milestone – supporting customers to move two billion tons of
surface material in the copper, iron ore, and oil sands industries
autonomously. Komatsu also continues to pursue a long-term strategy to
standardize interoperability of mixed fleet autonomous vehicles to
maximize efficiency and safety at mine sites worldwide.

About Komatsu America Corp.

Komatsu America Corp. is a U.S. subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd., the world’s
second largest manufacturer and supplier of earth-moving equipment,
consisting of construction, mining and compact construction equipment.
Komatsu America also serves the forklift and forestry markets. Through
its distributor network, Komatsu offers a state-of-the-art parts and
service program to support its equipment. Komatsu has proudly provided
high-quality reliable products for nearly a century. Visit the website
at www.komatsuamerica.com
for more information.

Komatsu® is an authorized trademark of Komatsu Ltd. Komatsu America
Corp. is an authorized licensee of Komatsu Ltd. All other trademarks and
service marks used herein are the property of Komatsu Ltd., Komatsu
America Corp., or their respective owners or licensees.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190120005012/en/