In an industry first, Caterpillar has unveiled its new Cat 789D autonomous water truck. The company described it as “a complete solution that not only automates the truck but also automates the delivery of the water.” It also says the new truck will optimize the complete haul road watering process. Autonomous water trucks help dust suppression on site and enhance productivity by enabling mine operations to digitally track water consumption and reduce waste.
The Cat autonomous water truck includes the full support of the Cat dealer and parts network. Combining an automated water delivery system with an autonomous truck –powered by MineStar – creates a truly automated technology solution that enhances haul road watering safety and efficiency.
Caterpillar has said the 789D will be fully integrated into the mine site’s Cat command autonomous haulage fleet, which will allow it to control haul road dust. The model is also the market’s first commercially available AWT built on the field-proven 789D mining truck chassis. The model also integrates the truck, tank, and Cat water delivery system (WDS), all connected with Cat MineStar technology.
Company officials mentioned some important new safety features. For instance, the Cat 789D water truck is equipped with the Command for hauling autonomous haulage solution, which makes it possible for the truck to drive among other staffed and autonomous machines, along haul road routes and within active load and dump areas. The model also enhances safety by removing operators from hazardous or remote sites and reduces the number of people required on site. Finally, the Cat water delivery system utilizes automatic start and stop to help eliminate overwatering at road intersections.
More information is posted on www.Cat.com.
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