Autonomous Haul Trucks in the Canadian Oil Sands

[@BrianHurry]

You're one of the best presenters in your genre. You're like the Tom Scott of heavy machinery.

[@BiasOfficialChannel]

He’s talented!

[@JoabeDutra]

Damn nice comparison hahaa

[@Galloglas]

As someone who is an autonomous controller/builder in Western Australia you've covered this very well. Of course things are alot more complex than what it seems here, I could talk about this for hours. Great video. For those worried about jobs, it takes quite a few people to run these robots, I myself was trained up from a truck driver back in the day. Awesome.

[@gqqggq7127]

True, but looking into the mindset of corporate and who the product is aimed at, overall the primary incentive of the technology is to reduce labour costs and employ fewer people.

[@AaronWitt]

thanks mate I appreciate you watching

[@bobklatt9826]

@@gqqggq7127 The goal is accuracy and efficiency. There's also much less wear and tear, as the trucks ALWAYS operate within their limits. As has been mentioned, there are many people involved in running autonomous equipment, possibly even more than staffed. No jobs lost, and new, more interesting, jobs created.

[@thecasualfly]

I worked for a packing shed for fruit in my local area and they moved to automation for their cold storage and people freaked out but it requires a whole different set of people to work. Just shifts jobs and opportunities and makes the warehouse/ processing facility run more efficiently

[@ronblack7870]

@@gqqggq7127 to lower the cost so when oil price drops as it's doing now they can still compete and continue to employ those that do keep their job like the maintainers.

[@jonash6070]

i'd like to see more footage of the workers talking about what they do and know. Its always great to get their perspective on things. Also more audio of the equipment instead of loud rock music.

[@paulus842000]

It must be really fascinating to be able to visit such a gigantic workshop with those dumpers being worked on.

[@armandoledesma3699]

Did I understand it correctly they change the oil at every fuel up?

[@mikefrom3089]

@@armandoledesma3699no he said they check it. Certain fluids get charged at different intervals. They typically change the engine oil every 250 hours of run time

[@mikefrom3089]

Great video, short and to the point. I work on this equipment and I now have something to show my kids that they can grasp what it’s like

[@johnchapman2856]

This video gives me huge Avatar vibes - the zooms / long holding shots of the equipment, the quality of the lighting... just crazy

[@AaronWitt]

it was pretty wild in person

[@jessiexcvi]

James Cameron actually came to this site in Fort McMurray to see how mining equipment like dozers and their dumps operate for the movie Avatar

[@emilyemily4946]

Hanya saya

[@zekeabercrombie3583]

I drove Haul Pak, Cat, and Wabco trucks for years. Put kids through college. Sad to see the end of an era.

[@Only-one-life-68]

Hope your kids love ya.. Fair play

[@adambubacz8058]

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[@adambubacz8058]

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[@Dankyjrthethird]

Autonomous trucks are a pain to keep running. Operators aren’t going away anytime soon

[@AnoNymous-nm6mm]

I’m guessing it’s just a camera drone, but it still feels super futuristic that you get interrupted by an electric flying machine while filming a semi autonomous mine in Canada

[@MechAnonymous]

More shop tours and show us toolboxes and tools please keep up the good work thank you

[@ypaulbrown]

Aaron, you look so different with out your hardhat and glasses......thanks for a great tour.....especially the reclaimed land part....cheers, Paul

[@That_LowriderSt_Guy]

You should see the reclamation at Syncrude. In 93 they put 30 bison out there, now there's 300

[@AaronWitt]

we saw them out there it's amazing

[@markdimitry9735]

Got to see autonomous trucks but the highlight of his day was a little lightsaber 😆 Very cool access from Suncor.

[@islandjason]

Cool, I work for a company that builds the exhaust, air and coolant pipes for these haul trucks, nice to see some of our parts in action.

[@TOPTECH-r3r]

This video captures the essence of heavy machinery perfectly!

[@nickskakun6455]

They run autonomous haul trucks at the elkview mine in sparwood bc, i guess they have been for roughly 3 years now. Besides the obvious struggle of operating in the rockies, i remember hearing the komatsu engineers explaining that another challenge theyve been fixing was the lidar collision detection system picking up spill rock etc. Compared to a mine in Aus where the dirt is red and easy to see more or less, its obviously quite the opposite in a coal mine where everything is black and muddy a good majority of the time. Komatsu has come a long ways in tweaking there Lidar in picking up objects in such conditions which is rather impressive to me

[@ronblack7870]

if they have IR cameras they could detect humans and animals as well.

[@philcurtis314]

Solar storms mess up these autonomous trucks as well. Elkview has about 2 collisions a year with these trucks.

[@mikeklein318]

That was an amazing I open tour of the operation of that mine awesome film making and editing.

[@Bmywudt2]

A nice introduction which is very much appreciated. You have a younger person in the industry introducing autonous integration in the mining industry which is more likely to attract a younger audience to the industry. Doing so also allows the older generation to engage with the process because the guy is in the industry.

[@fbrykatuuk1271]

Awesome Kom 930E Haulpack

[@ypaulbrown]

your channel is great....always great stuff....Paul in Florida.....

[@AaronWitt]

thanks for watching Paul

[@codyprice5662]

That old trucker movie where the trucks come alive is getting closer and closer to reality

[@bigboymarket]

Damn....That 980E engine is massive .......

[@johnwilsonb5531]

Unless you are physicaly next to these machines, your brain does not understand how big they are. On the 930, the distance from the drivers seat to the right hand mirror is 22 feet!

[@SM-yg5yb]

78 Litre V16 with 12 turbochargers 😎

[@TsunauticusIV]

I’m torn on this topic. There are a lot of people that would LOVE to have a career running this haul trucks. I understand that it’s sometimes a boring job. It’s a dangerous job too. But if we remove the operator positions… which is where we are headed… then we will lose a LOT of jobs. 😞

[@matt45540]

Did you hear the yogurt lid story. These things are useless there's a team of people running around supporting them. They need smooth roads to drive on, meaning there's a whole crew making sure the roads are smooth. The jobs just moved to ones that don't require constant attention

[@andrew48dhs]

I completely agree with you, but having talked with people from liebherr before, it's hard to find people that are willing to drive the trucks. And even harder to retain them.

[@Youngsta0]

How I feel too..

[@stoneyowl6164]

Yeah, fuck Skynet!

[@TheYeeterDefeater]

The turnover rate for haul trucks in the coalmines in elk valley for teck coal, have turnover rates around 400-500 a year.

[@TheDiablosix6six]

Putting the mechanics under pressure 😂

[@james8226]

As a retired operating engineer, I find it interesting that the extra effort for the haul road is important, but not so much if there is a human driver. Its all about the money.

[@franciscoandreatta5803]

Machines need predictability. At this point in time, humans are much more flexible. That's why. Pussy. Shut up.

[@jayryan1956]

The haul roads are much more maintained, just like every dam haul road should be to reduce the stress on equipment and tires

[@AaronWitt]

if only

[@ernierundall1336]

Great video

[@AaronWitt]

thanks Ernie

[@ColtonBlumhagen]

6:48 that was really cool. I didnt think machines that big were still able to do that.

[@georgebumpus3346]

Best videos !!!!!!!!

[@AaronWitt]

thank you George!

[@BiscuitsandWar]

Love the vid

[@AaronWitt]

thanks for watching

[@diopmansour9118]

Good job 👍

[@rp1645]

Thank you so much for finishing the Video tour of Mine with the Look out. The Oil Sands have got hate, bad rap from environmental people saying they are big polluters of the mother earth. In my Humble opinion what you show at end make there argument very wrong. Its wonderful to see the trees. What is wrong with REMOVAL of the "OIL" that nothing can grow in. OIL very close to surface of earth. The Oil company production on usable energy production is good for the earth in oil sands production. He mentioned a RIVER, bet that river is not contaminated as it was before oil was removed. The self Driving off road massive Haul trucks is amazing TEC. The JOB replacement of DRIVER, probably puts that driver in a massive motor grader, cat make monster road graders, have seen them work 3 to 4 across smoothing haul roads. The Dump driver can learn to operate a D-11 CAT or motor grader if he or she wants to keep job. Learn maintenance skills, the other comments said there is tons of turn over of Dump drivers. I think operator engineering UNIONS are more open to jobs going AWAY. I remember in the Late 1970s any excavator on tracks had a "OILER" very old school steam shovel JOB. I remember when the UNION stopped the Oiler position. There was NO need to have an oiler on modern Excavators. The Longshoreman on other hand are Fighting this big time on dock work container haul trucks on docks. The Longshoreman UNION doesn't want there Jobs taken away by auto drive system. Over the big pond in Amsterdam the dock container trucks are all computer 🖥️ run trucks in big ports. A bunch of workers in computer room running the trucks after unload from ships. Lots of Excavator Manufacturing is starting to do auto dig for long straight ditch lines. Lots of remote control ( no operator) in cab. Now with 3& 4-D dig system that are installed on excavator it auto digs depth of cut. Slowly removing all people out of machine. Here we go with the Termination era of monster machines.

[@AaronWitt]

I even had a negative stigma in my head until I went there and saw the reality. It was an eye opening experience

[@13Cerulean]

@@AaronWitt I'm so glad you made the trip and these two videos! I literally had a conversation with one of our senior leaders yesterday saying that I wish we had some better PR out there about what we do up here. THANK YOU!!!

[@johnwilsonb5531]

The "look out" is a relitivly small pit that has been refilled. The major issue is the ponds that they still do not know what to do with.

[@rp1645]

@@johnwilsonb5531 Great point. I understand the issue you talk about. There was anti mining ⛏️ videos that said these ponds can filter so to speak into Rivers. I just hope in my Humble opinion that these mines can somehow build a big filtered system to remove contaminants from water. Those ponds are a big issue on what to do to clean the water.

[@AbhisarRawat]

That workshop reminds me of the hangar of Jaegers in Pacific rim, the scale, the layout, the design is so similar

[@steveanderson4768]

I absolutely love your enthusiasm for what you do. It’s amazing and you get to play with and see who really big shit.

[@preblewtf]

Nothing like knowing the company is going to layoff 200 employees at the end of 2025 to replace them with autonomous trucks. Yes it’s going to happen i work here at Suncor base mine

[@guyhamiltonyt]

is that why everyone who worked there seemed depressed?

[@mickeyjay8516]

Unfortunately it seems like the way of the future, new places more and more seem to be going the autonomous route.

[@MrYourmomiscool]

Should never be takes jobs away

[@ronblack7870]

lowers the cost of the oil .it makes them able to compete with other oil sources. still will need all the maintainers maybe more with the autonomous trucks. the roads need to be smoother and wider for example.

[@djteako]

@@ronblack7870 it doesn't do a thing for the price of oil. what it does do, is line the greedy pockets of the shareholders, and weeken the overall economy by eliminating many good paying jobs. A perfect example of "the rich get richer"

[@oBseSsIoNPC]

There ya go, Tesla just has better marketing, but construction as well as Agriculture is ahead of the game already. If Skynet starts anywhere, it's gonna be the manufacturing and construction sites ;)

[@shivermetimber]

FINALLY!

[@ReginaldTolanAssociates]

An operator can sit at home in his operator room nice work .

[@juniorpacheco777]

Sou maravilhado por isto.

[@Alpha-Scythe23]

It’s a good thing the trucking industry is going Autonomous.. it’s a smart move honestly.. you cut operational costs and save tons of money as a company. Plus you invest in advanced technology compared to a human being.

[@FlyboyUS]

You *****, these companies are making billions of dollars these trucks now without humans driving them, you can operate twenty 47

[@ToxicDeflect]

This is the most AI thing I’ve ever heard…you’re taking high paying paychecks away from everyday people

[@Alpha-Scythe23]

@@ToxicDeflectProfit over people baby

[@guyneeser2029]

You go Aron Witt, tell us everything, I am a Certified welder retired. I would love to work in that factory wielding even at my 69 years. I wonder if I could get a job welding there??????

[@TheAngryGermanMiner]

@AaronWitt I would like to see the 6:46 information in context with the new PC9000 in the future

[@jordanb8909]

Great videos Aaron! Just curious, what camera and mic set up are you guys using?

[@AMK_P42]

I’m looking forward to the next maximum overdrive

[@mzee5533]

Autonomous is the way to go mate

[@juniordelarosa748]

nice video

[@ExhumedToConsume]

Great point at the end of the video about extracting and reclaiming. In a day and age where the powers that be claim electric is the way to go, you don't see them doing this kind of reclamation work in third world countries where they strip mine for lithium.

[@johnwilsonb5531]

The reclamation work is ongoing and a good thing. But this video only shows when a pit is refilled and does not begin to show the scope of the job ahead. The big issue is the tailings ponds. They have yet to figure out what to do with millions of cubic meters of sludge.

[@honkhonk8009]

Can you go through how these trucks are automated? Do they use GPS and an RTK station, or do they use some correction service? Do they use Computer Vision? It would be cool seeing it

[@SM-yg5yb]

The haul roads and possible routes are first mapped out with GPS, once this is done the haul trucks will follow essentially GPS waypoints (although they deviate slightly on purpose side to side to avoid creating ruts). The trucks then analyze what’s ahead of them using the GPS of other equipment and “ask” permission to move into a space. These permission lines stretch out about 100m in front of the truck so the truck knows it’s safe to proceed along it’s route. If an equipped piece of equipment or a light vehicle intersects with its permission line the truck will go into exception and stop. This requires a pit patroller to visually check on the situation and see why the truck stopped before allowing it to proceed again. Likewise if the ODS (object detection system) detects something in the trucks path it will stop and require a manual restart as well. I helped build the very first autonomous 980 in the world, they’re super cool!

[@locsadventures1121]

So does the shovel operator still honk?

[@mikeingram-bh2lh]

No more triple honks .

[@burtbrooks7731]

Thanks AI for taking more jobs👌

[@preblewtf]

I work here. They are going to layoff over 200 people at the end of 2025 if not sooner.

[@besticudcumupwith202]

...I've always wanted to run one of these.

[@g.a.b.v]

Hey bro! Could you make a video on nondestructive testing?

[@Huntersprojects]

Why didn’t you put the HP on the PC8000 stats

[@tugboat2739]

Howdy mr. Witt

[@ttgk8506]

I'm glad my job will never be able to be automated

[@petermorrow7932]

I use to draw willys on night shift instead of lines 🤣

[@NovaAmbiance]

Fluid Life has been doing oil analysis on the trucks since 2016. The trucks experience significantly less mechanical issues and almost no operator errors resulting in internal damage. We host the lubrication health data to prove it.

[@DecadeAgoGaming]

19:00 yea no, all that co2 being released will do far more harm

[@hoodio]

putting "mining" and "leaving the environment in a better condition than we found it" in the same sentence is genuinely delusional 😅

[@billortloff4215]

F@?$ing AWESOME!!!!!

[@SMGPERFORMANCE16]

The only dude that looks 24 and 54 in the ver y same video frame. Well dunnnnnn as we say in the south.

[@Chris-nt9lk]

I heard they have to regrade the roads more often as they drive the same route perfectly. Also how the auto dump the old grease in the exact same spots

[@SM-yg5yb]

The trucks will actually deviate roughly 3” at a time side to side one truck to the next so as not to create ruts.

[@levim157]

Are you also able to manually drive the trucks?

[@iangraham6887]

yes theres manual override on all trucks. in case the program fails, an operator can jump in the cab and pilot it.

[@charliebravo1906]

So much for my old job.

[@jamesyates9378]

Seems like it just takes the fun away from actually driving the trucks. I'm not saying that there are significant pro's to this out fit. Not bouncing around from rough roads, in the event of a crash the drivers will he safe or the same in the event of a malfunction. But I run heavy equipment for a Limestone quarry in KY. None of our equipment is nearly this big, but there's just a surreal feeling about being in a building sized truck!

[@huntingclarkson7096]

Maybe someday a break down on how they move the machines if they break like do they have a modified hill truck that tows them back

[@CherriRechie]

Yes, they have haul trucks converted to tow trucks that are able to tow broken down trucks to the shop if needed.

[@tysonmccaskill5730]

Interesting hearing a there autonomous trucks would stop over a yogurt lid but I regularly hear about cattle being hit by Komatsu autonomous trucks here in Aus… makes such a mess

[@IH2016]

There is still just something scary about a self driving truck of that size. I worked in the mining industry, I have been around big machines but this is just a little different

[@otahu26]

The reclaimed area will look just like NB.. haha NB is the tree farm of Canada.

[@affordablegeneratorandpowe7944]

Are the CATS also on the same automated system or are they only Komatsu's?

[@affordablegeneratorandpowe7944]

Also how much fuel do they reckon they save by going Automated vs human driver?

[@robertreznik9330]

Housing and cities leaves a bigger scare than the tar sand mining!

[@anthonymorris5084]

Not only that, but housing and cities are permanent.

[@robertreznik9330]

@@anthonymorris5084 Some day cities like NY city will go obsolete just like town on the high plains did in the 1980's.

[@johnsr-sr111kz]

I love canada

[@francomtz7115]

If the trucks are fully automated why have a cab? Or does the automated driver has sick time leave?

[@imagoodlistener2730]

Why is everyone confusing AI with an advanced database. It's not AI.

[@Markmeblablabla]

This is the cannibalistic side of capitalism. Each truck used to employ at least 4 people (more likely 5 for coverage of holidays, time off, medical leave.) Those jobs are gone, those families have no income, thereby will not be able to support the community they live in and will be forced to leave. That money ceases to flow through local businesses and more empty store fronts. Crime rises and the community becomes less lively. I'm saying this as a heavy duty mechanic who doesn't want big companies selling off resources in an area and sending the money to head offices far away or to appease the investors who couldn't care less about the dying communities.

[@bastianCL.]

good take

[@rileyplamondon8095]

As an industrial tire tech, I would have a few concerns in my field. A lot of the job of a good operator is to keep there ears open, I want somebody to explain to me how this autonomous truck can identify a tread separation or hardware failure.

[@Aleksandar356]

The large haul trucks are outfitted with tire sensors monitoring the pressure and temperature changes and alerting the maintenance or condition monitoring team when the readings are above the limits. Tires are also vigorously inspected for damage and wear including rotating the fronts to the back.

[@StuartParris-j9j]

He's right... they dont stop for anything including bears...😂😂😂

[@Fester_]

Smoother, wider roads than we ever got. Perhaps don't publish that quite so freely, hmm?

[@UNIQUENAME2007]

hack the base station and maybe they all drive into tailings ponds!?

[@jaydenprosper]

Also one of these autonomous trucks ran over a bear not long ago. They tested the sensors and they’re not that good

[@Tealstang1995]

They run cat 793 autonomous trucks at Teks highland valley open pit copper mine. For the past 4 years. Really neat to see!

[@Hogger280]

AI be Damned!

[@thefatmoop]

Is this kearl? Hopefully they tell autonomy product support about the alleged yogurt lid and get cat engineering the truck logs

[@billjames8036]

The job I always wanted and now the damn AI is taking over........

[@rickv9180]

As a Computer Science student who dabbles in AI, I completely agree.

[@RCS1master]

AI does NOT run these trucks GPS and sensors with people in an office run those trucks

[@WaldoTheWombat]

He says they are not controlled remotely, all the other machines are

[@infernoking7504]

If its safer and more efficient to do it this way im all for it but if not get people there jobs.

[@videocruzer]

I called it about a decade ago when i heard how much they were paying People to drive those trucks that they would all be replaced by AI.

[@DrewWithington]

Interesting that despite all the resources that Komatsu could apply to making AI trucks work they still can't cope with quite small changes to their operating environment e.g. the haul road not being flat, e.g. silver foil yoghurt lids messing up their sensors. Gives some real world perspective to claims by Elon Musk etc that fully autonomous cars will be able to drive anywhere soon.

[@golfbravowhiskey8669]

Ai? I would not really call it that it’s just running around in predetermined Geo fences, with predetermined routes and parameters,, if it starts making decisions on its own like a driver would do then that’s Ai. If a warm blooded driver see the yogurt call Taylor he’s gonna drive around it is or was it. That was the situation it was not programmed into the auto pilot, so thus therefore it’s not decision making artificial intelligence.

[@Rowe2222]

Maybe one day imperial will let you up to Kearl lake, we run 81 autonomous 797s would be pretty cool for you to check out!

[@RexBennett-w5v]

ai trucks work in a controlled access area like this but not as well where anything can happen.

[@JustinBrennan82]

Interesting seeing the colours of the mode lights, blinking amber here. The CAT Command system I’ve seen has a blue mode light when working autonomously, could be an Australian thing also.

[@SM-yg5yb]

Yeah CAT and Komatsu have different colour schemes for autonomous. With Komatsu amber is autonomous, green is manual. It will flash red if there’s a problem, or all 3 will flash when the truck is suspended. 👍🏼

[@AlexGates-hd5je]

The only jobs lost when going Autonomous trucks is the lazy that dont want to upskill to another role. Plenty of positions to keep these trucks running. Dont make your self unemployable and blame someone else. Ps Love the content mate!

[@JT.0915]

Is it just me or was the lighting in that shop annoyingly dim

[@natedavidson4509]

Creating more Mechanic jobs

[@johnwilsonb5531]

Actualy less, as the autonomus system are much easier on the trucks

[@rebeccaete7032]

I see thosenin Suncor mine K

[@TheInvoice123]

Hungry boards give extra capacity

[@joopvanharte2640]

Better than we found it..... no way

[@Hardhatmediaa]

Nice even less jobs !

[@cjhoffman1]

What are the big numbers in red on that big shovel

[@mike_made]

It’s the unit number of the machine

[@djteako]

CONGRADULATIONS to SUNCOR, KOMATSU and every other company that is going autonimous, eliminating 1000's of good paying jobs, so they can get just a tiny bit richer, while weekening the economies of the countries they operate in !!!!! Keep it up and soon you'll have no one to buy your products!

[@emilyemily4946]

Akun Anda, cara Anda

[@BradFalck-mn3pc]

I guess they're just going to have to pay us to stay home pretty soon.....nerds , who needs them? Lol