ZHODINO, 8 September (BelTA) – BelAZ intends to create a prototype of the robotized dump truck by the end of the year, BelTA learned from Alexander Yegorov, Chief Designer at the Belarusian automobile engineering company BelAZ, on 8 September.
Automating driver's job, including full autonomous driving, is part of BelAZ's development strategy, said Alexander Yegorov. As part of the relevant program of the Union State of Belarus and Russia BelAZ is working with Russian companies to design a robot dump truck, which can transport mined rock without human interference. “We have a lab prototype now and are staging experiments on it. We intend to assemble the first development prototype by the end of the year,” said the BelAZ chief designer.
According to Alexander Yegorov, the Siberian coal energy company SUEK has been persistent in its desire to test the first few robot dump trucks.
Apart from that, the Belarusian company is working to add options to its top haul truck with the carrying capacity of 450 tonnes. There are other ways for BelAZ to grow apart from mining vehicles. A program has been signed to develop the production of equipment for airport maintenance. It is designed to run for 4-5 years.
Headquartered in Zhodino, Minsk Oblast, the automobile engineering company BelAZ is a highly effective industrial enterprise that makes mining vehicles and specialized vehicles using innovative technologies. Since its foundation the company has made over 500 various modifications of haul trucks and special-purpose vehicles, assembling some 146,000 vehicles and selling them to 72 countries across the globe.
