Heidelberg Materials and Pronto expand autonomous haulage partnership

Pronto has announced an agreement with Heidelberg Materials to deploy its Autonomous Haulage System (Pronto AHS) across more than 100 trucks at Heidelberg Materials sites (Photo: Pronto website)

Under the agreement, Pronto will also serve as Heidelberg Materials’ exclusive provider of autonomous technologies in North America.

Axel Conrads, chief technical officer and member of the managing board at Heidelberg Materials, highlighted the company’s focus on integrating advanced technologies to enhance operations. “We are pleased to partner with Pronto, whose solution stood out for its reliability in improving production efficiency, enhancing employee safety, and supporting sustainability efforts,” he said.

Pronto AHS utilises artificial intelligence and a camera-based system, eliminating the need for radar and lidar. The approach is said to enable faster deployment at a lower cost compared to other autonomous haulage systems.

Anthony Levandowski, CEO of Pronto, described the agreement as a significant step for the company. “Earning Heidelberg Materials’ trust to expand globally is an incredible validation of our product and confirms that we have achieved our goals in safety, performance, and cost-effectiveness.”

The partnership builds on Pronto’s previous deployments at Heidelberg Materials’ sites, following a 2023 pilot at the company’s Bridgeport quarry in Texas, US.

Pronto AHS was later implemented at a second site in Lake Bridgeport in Texas, US, on a mixed fleet of haul trucks.