COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Wabtec opens up on Gen 3
Mitch Tanzer , Wabtec Global Commercial Director , talked to IM about feedback and performance so far with its industry leading Gen 3 CAS
These new product enhancements are a result of our close collaboration efforts . We ’ ve listened to and worked closely with our customer to understand exactly what they need .
Q How has Wabtec ’ s Gen 3 been ‘ bedding in ’ to the CAS market since its launch ? What has the general feedback from customers been like ? A Gen 3 CAS has enjoyed another strong year of acceptance within the mining industry . Major contract wins in South Africa , Australia , Canada , the USA and Peru have evidenced this . Our customers are uncompromising when it comes to the technical and functional performance of their selected solution , which are key elements to our success . We ’ ve also focused heavily on building out our execution team , particularly in regard to the quality and consistency of our deployment and support to Gen 3 CAS . One area that we ’ re focusing on is working with our customers on the communication and robust change management requirements to ensure a smooth transition of CAS into daily operations . This has been received positively as our customers continually emphasise the need for a partnership approach . The flexible delivery models we provide to our customers are highly appreciated .
Q Would you say the predictive curved beam and user interface of the Gen 3 CAS remains a game changer in the CAS industry relative to other solutions ? A Both features continue to be capabilities that our customers , and the industry , expect when it comes to a true collision avoidance system . Our customers also consistently cite our T intersection functionality , which was designed with a deep understanding of site priority rules , as the only solution in the market that solves this complex vehicle interaction . Intersections are one of the highest risk areas of the mine and , in partnership with Glencore Coal , we have taken leaps and bounds to enhance situational awareness for the users . But we ’ re not satisfied with stopping there . We recently added new capabilities and additional smarts to our Level 9 solutions . The new features provide supervisors with geofence capability in the field , functions that are displayed on the beta version of our all-new Digital Mine platform . The software also comes with a cleaner and simpler user interface . Initial reporting functionality focused on asset health , which our trial customer loved .
Q You announced Mt Owen rolling out your Gen 3 CAS across multiple sites – how significant is the contract in terms of your market evolution ? A Mt Owen , formerly Glendell , was the first site of a multi-site program for Glencore Coal in Australia . Reaching final completion on this site demonstrates the joint commitment of two organisations on a mission to achieve one goal . Every deployment has its challenges , but it ’ s a testament to the strength of our relationship and willingness to work together to get the job done . More importantly , every deployment is an opportunity to learn , adapt and grow . Together , our organisations are always exploring new ways to improve . As a result , sites that follow in the program get to leverage from all the learning and experience along the way . We ’ re busy working towards practical completion on another two sites before the end of the calendar year .
Q Previously we have discussed mining groups wanting CAS providers to explore the combination of AHS on primary fleets with CAS on ancillary fleets to maximise safety – can you comment on any developments here ? A This continues to be a point of discussion with our customers and the industry . For me , this is representative of the mining industry looking for operational technology simplification and interoperability . The mining industry has been very vocal in its suggestion of far too much sensor , screen and functionality duplication across all the different operational technologies . Our customers tell us they don ’ t want to install disparate systems on their fleets . They want OT providers to cooperate , support a better operator experience , and reduce the cost of maintaining these systems . Wabtec has been a long-time proponent of this approach . We ’ re committed to working with our customers and other OT vendors and OEMs to support this outcome . So , in short , yes , customers continue to express their desire to have their autonomous technology vendor work alongside CAS technologies to avoid technology duplication , improve user experience and reduce operating costs . ecosystem together and we are in a good position to do this given the install base . We are one of a very small number of technology providers that can offer this blended perspective .
Savit stated : “ We have also been operating remote monitoring centres for OAS which is doing some amazing things in terms of understanding not just fatigue but the precursors related to distraction so we can be more preemptive which is a better term than predictive . There are identifiable operator actions that are precursors to fatigue incidents . On the CAS comments , we had a customer that was having a large number of CAS alarms , and we realised that the haul road , while correct at the design and planning phase , had been built too narrow so was intrinsically unsafe . This was identified from CAS data . Similarly looking at overspeed events , often this is due to a gradient being too sudden and not gradual enough so operators are trying to quickly build up speed before going on the ramp to be able to maintain it . Overall , we have realised that with our safety solutions we can combine different products to bring customers a more stepped methodology into this space versus a technology that is there in a retrospective manner . We also know we have more room in our technology stacks to do more product integration . From the customer point of view we know we have to be more than a preferred solutions provider – we have to be a trusted partner .”
Moving on to CAS and autonomy co-existing , Hatfield pointed out that interaction of autonomous and non-autonomous machines is about better situational awareness . “ Again , look at the automotive world where you have assisted self-driving and ADAS controls . These vehicles have raised the bar and expectations in mining . A lot of the existing AHS are very rules-based – point A to point B on a defined route . We are working on more aware and advanced autonomy – for example , automating a large number of road trains for pit to port transport of iron ore in
Australia and in Brazil we are working on AHS technology . Both involve the Hexagon Mission Manager that includes autonomous world perception to enable object detection , operator vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-person awareness . Our acquisition of HARD-LINE in 2023 plus the more recent acquisition of indurad and xtonomy will also help us progress in this area . Ultimately Level 9 type interventions will likely evolve into ADAS type capability in mining and remove some of the current limitations around the interaction of AHS fleets and non autonomous fleets .”
This could mean those non autonomous vehicles being able to maintain optimum speeds when in the autonomous zone for example , or having shorter following distances than are currently allowed . “ The situation today is more often full autonomy or manned operations – but technology should allow us to move this towards mixed , semi autonomous operations – using all the elements we have in our portfolio , including
International Mining | JANUARY 2025