Komatsu will supply a fleet of autonomous giant offroad dumptrucks to global resources company BHP for use in a new iron ore mine in Western Australia.
Forty-one of the 930E-5 trucks, which can carry over 300-tonne payloads (and run at 521t all-up) are set to begin work soon at the $AUS5billion South Flank project in the mineral-rich Pilbara region.
The automation-ready ultra-class dumptrucks will help BHP achieve its target of producing 80 million tonnes of iron ore a year. 
Komatsu already has a long-established partnership with Rio Tinto, working together on the latter's Mines of the Future programme – and with its autonomous trucks in operation at one mine.
Komatsu has said that while autonomous trucks don't need drivers, they do require more technical staff to support them – and they improve safety by removing people from a potentially hazardous operational role.
Says Komatsu Australia chief exec and MD Sean Taylor: "People-powered technology is our central philosophy at Komatsu and it's this people-first approach to technology that we feel we share with BHP.
"Komatsu focuses on autonomous technology-driven job creation, with focus on safety, diversity, upskilling and an innovative, flexible workforce that marries our people's needs with business goals. This is our blueprint for the future."
Komatsu aims to add up to an extra 100 people to its 800-strong workforce in the region as a result of the BHP deal.
Komatsu says it has built 250 Autonomous Haul System (AHS) dumptrucks, with 180 of them so far in operation…on three continents.
They have carted over two billion tonnes of three different commodities – in "three of the harshest and most extreme environments in the world – more than all other commercial mining autonomous haulage systems – with zero resulting injuries."