Recently, CiDi signed a significant agreement with Mengdong Mining Construction to deploy 100 autonomous mining trucks at an openpit coal mine in Inner Mongolia. This deal marks another major milestone in China’s rapid adoption of autonomous driving technology in mining.
Autonomous driving has proven to be a critical innovation in mining operations, becoming one of the first sectors to commercialize this technology. Several mining sites in China have already implemented largescale autonomous fleets, achieving consistent operations without human safety drivers. In 2024 alone, multiple sites have surpassed 100 autonomous trucks in active deployment. Let’s take a closer look at the largest fleets operating today.
- South OpenPit Coal Mine, Tianshan Energy, Xinjiang
Key Highlights:
Managed by Xinjiang Tianshan Energy Co., this site is a national model for the West China Development Strategy, with an approved production capacity of 40 million tons annually, the highest in the country. It was also the first mine in Xinjiang to pass the intelligent mine certification.
Autonomous Fleet:
Since introducing autonomous vehicles in November 2020, over 370 autonomous trucks have been deployed, accounting for more than half of the mine’s active fleet. These vehicles have accumulated approximately 18.72 million kilometers in unmanned operations, the highest in the industry.
Technology & Vehicles:
The fleet, managed by Easymile Zhijia, includes nearly 240 trucks—the largest singlesite autonomous fleet in the world. The trucks, such as Lingong EL100 and SANY SKT90i, range from 45ton and 70ton fuelpowered models to hybrid 100ton trucks, supporting high production demands.
- Zhunda OpenPit Coal Mine, Shenhua Group, Xinjiang
Key Highlights:
Located in the Zhundong Economic and Technological Development Zone, this site began testing 5Gpowered autonomous trucks in July 2020, achieving fullscale unmanned operations by June 2022.
Autonomous Fleet:
The fleet expanded to 135 vehicles in 2024, making it the largest within the Shenhua Group. These vehicles operate autonomously to complete key tasks, including loading, hauling, and unloading, with integration into intelligent cloud control platforms.
Operational Achievements:
By October 2024, the fleet had driven 2.85 million kilometers, transported 7.98 million cubic meters of material, and completed over 245,000 trips—all while maintaining over 1,460 days of safe operation.
- No. 2 OpenPit Coal Mine, Tianshan Energy, Xinjiang
Key Highlights:
This site ranks among China’s top ten coal mines, with reserves of 4.57 billion tons and an annual production capacity of 30 million tons.
Autonomous Fleet:
In partnership with Waytous, the mine deployed nearly 100 autonomous trucks for 24/7 operations under extreme desert conditions. In September 2023, Easymile Zhijia set an industry record by achieving “safety driver removal” within just 17 days.
Technological Advancements:
The fleet includes 33 newgeneration, 100ton autonomous trucks capable of coexisting with humanoperated vehicles, ensuring efficient and safe operations.
Emerging Players Approaching the 100Truck Milestone
- Heidaigou OpenPit Coal Mine
Managed by Zhunneng Group and developed with Aerospace Heavy Industry and Waytous, this project started in 2020. By 2024, 51 autonomous vehicles were deployed, with plans to reach 100 in the near future.
- Xinjiang OpenPit Coal Mine (MaxSense Project)
In 2024, MaxSense unveiled plans to deploy 100 autonomous trucks equipped with its VCS system. These trucks offer capabilities such as environment sensing, obstacle avoidance, and three operational modes: autonomous, remotecontrolled, and manual.
The Road Ahead：A Growing Wave of Adoption
Industry experts predict that by 2025, over 50% of mining sites will have autonomous truck fleets exceeding 100 vehicles. Policies like the Guidelines for Accelerating Intelligent Mine Development issued in 2020 emphasize the goal of achieving intelligent operations and unmanned transportation at largescale mines by 2025.
If 2024 represents the year autonomous mining technology entered mainstream commercialization, then 2025 is set to mark its largescale adoption. As CiDi’s Technical Director noted at this year’s LowSpeed Autonomous Driving Industry Development Conference, the technology has reached a pivotal moment akin to the scaling of electric passenger vehicles in 2021. Backed by strong policy support, autonomous mining fleets are poised to drive the global transformation of mining operations toward intelligent, efficient, and safer practices.
