CiDi Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with MMD Group Limited to jointly develop and deploy autonomous haulage systems for mining operations, the companies said.
In mining, autonomous material movement typically refers to driverless haul trucks and supporting systems that transport ore and waste across a site using onboard sensors, positioning systems and centralised dispatch software, without a human operator in the cab.
Under the agreement, the companies will collaborate on research and development, system integration and global rollout. CiDi will act as the exclusive supplier of autonomous driving systems for MMD’s equipment automation offering, providing driving kits and technical support.
MMD, headquartered in the Isle of Man, manufactures mineral processing and mining equipment and operates 23 offices and six production facilities worldwide. It reports more than 3,500 units deployed across major mining regions.
CiDi develops autonomous driving technology for commercial vehicles, including mining and logistics trucks, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems and perception platforms. The company has deployed more than 1,500 autonomous mining trucks in mainland China.
The partnership will focus on developing driverless mining trucks by combining MMD’s expertise in heavy machinery and chassis engineering with CiDi’s capabilities in perception, control and autonomous driving software. MMD’s TraxIQ platform will be used in the joint development.
MMD will incorporate CiDi-equipped autonomous trucks, along with dispatch systems and charging infrastructure, into its global portfolio. Demonstration programmes are planned in multiple mining markets.
Dr Ma Wei, co-founder of CiDi, said the agreement “marks a milestone” in bringing the company’s autonomous mining technology to global markets, adding that it represents “a transition from domestic leadership to international deployment”.
Martin Vorster, group managing director of MMD, said autonomous material handling is “critical to improving efficiency, enhancing safety, and reducing operating costs”, adding that CiDi’s technology and deployment experience complement MMD’s manufacturing and distribution capabilities.
CiDi said it is expanding internationally, including into Australia, South America and the Middle East and North Africa region.
