EACON Converts Komatsu HD1500 Fleet for Autonomous Mining Operations in Western Australia

At a gold mining operation in Western Australia, six retrofitted Komatsu HD1500 haul trucks have officially entered active day-shift production without safety drivers onboard.

In Western Australia’s Kalgoorlie Goldfields, six Komatsu HD1500 rigid dump trucks are now hauling material at the Mulgarrie operation’s Havana Pit without operators or safety drivers inside the cabs.

EACON Mining Technology has announced the start of day-shift autonomous haulage operations at the live production site, marking a new step for retrofit autonomy in one of Australia’s most active mining regions. Beyond their daily hauling duties, the trucks are also being used to train and upskill the site team ahead of a planned move toward 24/7 autonomous operations, including night shifts.

Autonomous Haulage Systems have traditionally required major upfront investment in new, factory-built autonomous trucks. EACON’s rollout takes a different route. By retrofitting existing Komatsu HD1500 haul trucks, the project challenges the idea that autonomy must begin with a full fleet replacement.

That makes the deployment notable on two fronts: it brings autonomous haulage technology to machines already proven in the field, and it represents the first autonomous haulage deployment in an active mining production environment in the Kalgoorlie Goldfields region.

Each truck has been converted using EACON’s OEM-agnostic autonomy system, including a drive-by-wire retrofit that allows the software to control key vehicle functions. The move into day-shift production follows a long preparation phase designed to prove the technology under Australian mining conditions. At Mulgarrie, that work included drive-by-wire system design and validation, system integration, localised autonomy testing and safety checks before the trucks were cleared to operate in the pit.

Just as important was the work around the machines. Since telecommunications infrastructure orders were placed in January 2026, the project team has spent more than five months upgrading site communications, deploying on-premise servers, preparing the autonomous operating zone, carrying out risk assessments and adapting operating procedures for autonomous haulage.

“Transitioning autonomous haulage into a live production environment raises the bar for on-site support across AHS operations, technical support and training. Through the NGF project, EACON is building a strong local support team and the operational experience required to support future autonomous haulage projects in Australia”

Commented Elaine Jin, Chief Growth Officer at EACON Australia.

Over the coming months, the project will continue to assess both the operational performance and safety performance of the fleet as it moves from controlled testing into the demands of a live production environment.