Caterpillar Inc. today announced the successful demonstration of the fully autonomous operation of its Cat® 777 off-highway truck. This milestone debut of the Cat® MineStar™ Command for hauling at Luck Stone’s Bull Run plant in Chantilly, Va., marks a significant step in delivering an autonomous hauling solution for the quarry and aggregates sector.
This deployment underscores the progress in the collaboration between Caterpillar and Luck Stone, the largest family-owned producer of crushed stone, sand, and gravel in the U.S. In December 2022, the companies entered into an agreement to accelerate the development of Caterpillar’s autonomous solutions for quarry and aggregate applications. This achievement represents Caterpillar’s first deployment of autonomous technology in the aggregates industry and expands the autonomous truck fleet to include the 100-ton-class Cat® 777.
Caterpillar is recognized as an industry leader in autonomy, with its trucks operating on three continents, having traveled over 325 million kilometers and autonomously moved more than 8.62 billion tonnes. Currently, Caterpillar’s autonomous truck fleet moves more tons per year globally than the total annual U.S. crushed stone production. For two years, Caterpillar has worked with Luck Stone to gain expertise in quarry operations, aiming to develop a scalable and economically viable system that improves safety and productivity for customers in the quarry industry.
“Congratulations to both the Luck Stone and Caterpillar teams for this outstanding achievement. It’s meaningful not just for Bull Run operations, but for our customers of all sizes as we develop new technologies to serve the quarry and aggregates as well as construction industries,” said Denise Johnson, group president of Caterpillar’s Resource Industries. “This hands-on collaboration has accelerated our ability to scale our proven mining solution for this sector.”
“The successful implementation of an autonomous hauling solution at our Bull Run Plant is a major accomplishment for Luck Stone associates, for Caterpillar, and for our industry,” said Charlie Luck, Chairman and CEO of Luck Companies. “This project provides opportunities for our associates to grow and learn, while improving safety and attracting the next generation of mining professionals. We’re excited about the future of autonomy and our continued partnership with Caterpillar.”
The success of autonomous hauling at the Bull Run plant marks an initial milestone in the collaboration between Caterpillar and Luck Stone. This lays the groundwork for further testing and validation before the technology becomes commercially available for the aggregates industry.
With 2023 sales and revenues of $67.1 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway engines, and more. For nearly 100 years, Caterpillar has supported customers in building a more sustainable world, while contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Learn more at caterpillar.com.
Founded in 1923, Luck Companies is the nation’s largest family-owned producer of crushed aggregates, serving the foundation needs of the infrastructure industry. With a focus on core values of Integrity, Commitment, Leadership, and Creativity, Luck Companies is committed to empowering associates and communities. With over 1,000 associates and operations across the Southeastern U.S., Luck Companies continues to thrive as a leader in the aggregates industry. Learn more at luckcompanies.com.
