SafeAI and Obayashi Corporation unveiled a retrofit zero-emission, autonomous haul truck. The Caterpillar 725 is the first haul truck retrofitted with autonomous and electrification technology. This is a breakthrough in heavy industry that paves the way for companies to reuse their existing assets while improving operations and enabling them to reach their sustainability goals.

This project marks a significant leap forward for the industry. While autonomy and electrification have been implemented independently, this is the first time a haul truck has been successfully retrofitted with both technologies. This enables companies to reuse and upgrade their existing assets while streamlining site operations and improving environmental performance.

By marrying automation and electrification together, there are compounded advantages that are otherwise hard to achieve as independent technologies: Safety: Enables a more advanced and safer charging infrastructure and workplace while removing employees from dangerous work environments to supervise from afar without needing to operate or refuel vehicles. Efficiency: Autonomy?s ability to enable 24/7 operations combined with the lower operating costs of electric vehicles improve overall productivity and cost-effectiveness, allowing companies to make the most of their assets. Sustainability: Companies have clear carbon-neutral goals.

Autonomy alone can boost environmental performance on worksites by up to 13%, and by swapping out diesel for electricity, operators can cut net life cycle emissions by over 60%. Cost-Effectiveness: Brand-new electric, autonomous vehicles have steep upfront costs that are prohibitive to many companies. Retrofit technology allows companies to upgrade existing fleets in a more affordable and environmentally friendly way.

SafeAI and Obayashi have worked together since October 2020 to address common pain points across construction with autonomous solutions. SafeAI retrofitted the vehicle with its proven, OEM-agnostic autonomous technology for this project. AVIA Engineering, a system integrator known for its expertise in the electrification and mechatronics of trucks, retrofitted the vehicle with a fully electric drive system.