As autonomous haulage progresses in direction of higher onboard intelligence and the power of autos – notably mining vehicles – geared up with the AHS with the ability to ‘recognise’ obstacles and reroute themselves with out disrupting manufacturing; and to effectively function as a part of combined autonomous and non autonomous fleets, 3D digital LiDAR is enjoying a important position. However the firms that offer these sensors are usually not mining particular – they’re supplying numerous markets.
In December 2025, LiDAR tech firm Luminar Applied sciences filed for chapter following rising debt and a authorized battle with one in all its main clients, Volvo. Luminar then bought its LiDAR enterprise in January 2026 as a part of its Chapter 11 chapter course of in an public sale to a different firm – Redmond, Washington-headquartered MicroVision – for US$33 million. This included patents and stock associated to the Iris and Halo sensors, in addition to some key engineering workers and contracts.
Caterpillar had signed a cope with Luminar in March 2025, with a view to the Luminar LiDAR know-how being launched with Cat Command for hauling, initially focused for quarry and mixture operations. The Cat off-highway truck was to characteristic two Iris LiDAR with a novel integration system designed solely for Caterpillar.
On June 10, 2026 MicroVision introduced the signing of a Grasp Improvement Settlement (MDA), together with an preliminary Program Description dated June 1, 2026, to collaborate with “the world’s main producer of development and mining tools” on the event and integration of MicroVision’s LiDAR and notion applied sciences into the OEM’s next-generation autonomous options. Whereas that is clearly Caterpillar, the corporate was not named within the launch.
The settlement establishes a framework to “collectively develop, validate, and commercialise superior notion capabilities designed to reinforce the security, productiveness, and effectivity of the OEM’s autonomous tools platforms. Via this collaboration, the companions will work collectively to judge and deploy superior LiDAR sensing applied sciences that present high-resolution environmental consciousness, impediment detection, and situational intelligence in complicated industrial environments.”
“Signing this MDA represents a big milestone in MicroVision’s technique to deliver our notion applied sciences into large-scale industrial purposes,” mentioned Glen DeVos, Chief Govt Officer of MicroVision. “We’re thrilled to associate with a world chief in autonomous mining and industrial tools and proud to see our merchandise assist clients enhance security, improve productiveness, and speed up the adoption of autonomous options worldwide.”
Equally to what was acknowledged within the authentic settlement with Luminar, the “distinctive built-in system initially options two of MicroVision’s Iris LiDAR sensors on every off-highway truck for hauling operations, together with quarry and mixture operations, with future potential integration of MicroVision’s Halo LiDAR sensors.”
“A key factor of this partnership is the analysis of our next-generation Halo sensor as a pure evolution of Iris, offering backward system compatibility to present Iris clients,” continued DeVos. “We view this as an ideal instance of growing and launching industrial alternatives with our Iris sensor with a transparent pathway to integration of Halo, and clear validation of the value-enhancing asset acquisition accomplished within the first quarter of this 12 months.”
The event displays Caterpillar’s technique of taking what it sees as the very best the market can provide after which adapting it for its and mining’s wants into successfully a Caterpillar LiDAR – that is what it did with its authentic LiDAR provider, Velodyne; plus the identical strategy was used with Seeing Machines, with whom Caterpillar has a licensing deal for the underlying know-how behind the Cat Driver Security System (DSS), its fatigue monitoring answer. Caterpillar has additionally been working with South African firm MPI Holdings on improvement of a EMESRT Stage 9 collision avoidance system (CAS).
The chief in LiDAR provide to giant mining tools immediately is San Francisco-headquartered Ouster Inc – whose newest providing is the Rev8, described because the world’s first native color LiDAR sensor. Komatsu signed a significant cope with the corporate in Might 2025 including Ouster as a LiDAR provider for its suite of autonomous mining tools choices.
Ouster’s LiDAR can also be getting used on Volvo Autonomous Options’ new Autona / Earth autonomous haulage answer; on Sandvik’s AutoMine system, each underground and floor; Liebherr’s IoMine AHS; and Epiroc’s Deep Automation. It has additionally had success in China supplying its LiDAR to AHS tech suppliers like WAYTOUS and TAGE Idriver.
