Komatsu‘s strategic technology collaboration with Applied Intuition, a Silicon Valley-based company producing vehicle intelligence, is making headway to provide new technologies and real-time adaptability to Komatsu’s next-generation mining equipment, helping mine operators boost productivity, reduce downtime, and operate with greater precision and efficiency.

Technology developed for next-generation mining equipment

With Applied Intuition’s proven capabilities across vehicle operating systems, autonomy stacks, tooling, and Komatsu’s extensive expertise in off-highway autonomy and mining applications, the companies will co-develop a unified software-defined vehicle (SDV) and an autonomy platform that will serve as the central brain of Komatsu’s next generation of mining equipment. This collaboration represents one of the most significant technology initiatives in Komatsu’s history and signals a bold step toward a future of increasingly autonomous, software-driven mining operations.

​The jointly developed platform will introduce a new era of machine intelligence through key features such as:

• Software-defined vehicle architecture that will enable continuous feature delivery over the life of the machine, with native integration of data management, digital security, and connected support.

• Flexible autonomy capabilities ranging from advanced operator assist to full autonomy on a common platform, adaptable across fleets, commodities, and operational complexities.

• Embedded machine learning and AI that support functional enhancements and continuous learning, enabling site-specific optimization as conditions change.

Meeting current problems head-on

Komatsu expects that mining contractors will benefit from improved equipment performance, reduced downtime, and increased return on investment through Komatsu’s next-generation autonomy systems. The enhanced architecture aims to enable faster deployment, simplified support, and scalable solutions that extend across mine sizes and geographies.​

This new flexibility is critical in an industry facing labour shortages, challenging site conditions, and rising demand.

This collaboration advances Komatsu’s vision of a fully autonomous future for mining, while helping to solve today’s pressing challenges. As mineral demand increases alongside a decline in skilled labour entering the field, autonomy becomes an essential enabler of safer, more efficient, and scalable operations.

“Komatsu is committed to creating value together with our customers, and this collaboration represents a step change in how we bring innovative, high-performance technology to their operations,” said Peter Salditt, president, mining business division, Komatsu, and CEO, Komatsu Mining Technologies. “By combining Komatsu’s deep mining expertise with Applied Intuition’s cutting-edge AI and SDV solutions, we’re enabling a future where our equipment continuously evolves to meet customers’ unique mine site needs.”

“In a world where autonomy is becoming the norm, our goal is to ensure our customers don’t just keep up — they lead,” said Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition. “The mining industry is one of the most regulated in the world, and as the bar keeps rising around emissions, human safety, and geopolitics, Applied Intuition and Komatsu plan to build the next generation of mining products and redefine modern software product development. The team is looking forward to breaking new ground and digging into the future.”