Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is one of a number of major mine operators worldwide moving into autonomous equipment. Most notably, Rio Tinto already has 69 enormous mining dump trucks at three mines running without drivers.
The vehicles are not fully autonomous; they follow programmed routes. But at these huge open pit mines, the job of dump truck driver has historically been one of the most dangerous. Fatigue can lead to accidents, and with trucks of that size, no accident is a minor one.
Besides trucks, they are beginning to automate trains and even the actual digging and drilling machines.
Rio Tinto estimates they are on track to save $200 million a year (!!) in costs with their autonomous equipment.