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Australia's First EACON Retrofit Arrives: A Milestone for Open Autonomy

  • vpeng2
  • Aug 12
  • 3 min read

By the OpenAutonomy.com Editorial Team


A Komatsu HD1500 named "Jerry" rolled onto Norton Gold Fields' Western Australian mine site last week, marking more than just another equipment delivery. Fresh from being retrofitted at the Thiess Hazelmere facility, the first haul truck in Australia equipped with EACON's autonomous technology is getting ready for commissioning.

This arrival represents a tangible step forward for open autonomy in Australian mining – the principle that mines should have the freedom to choose and integrate autonomous solutions from different vendors rather than being locked into a single manufacturer's ecosystem.


The Significance of Retrofit

What makes Jerry's arrival particularly noteworthy is the retrofit approach. Rather than requiring mines to purchase entirely new autonomous-ready trucks, EACON's technology has been integrated into an existing Komatsu HD1500 from Thiess' fleet. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the Australian mining sector, advancing the deployment of OEM-agnostic autonomous haulage systems through retrofit technology.

The ability to retrofit existing equipment addresses one of the major barriers to autonomous adoption: the massive capital investment typically required to replace entire fleets. For mines operating mixed fleets from multiple manufacturers, this retrofit capability could be game-changing.


A Partnership Built on Open Principles

The tripartite partnership between Thiess, Norton Gold Fields, and EACON, formalized in May 2025, demonstrates how open autonomy can work in practice. Each partner brings distinct capabilities:

  • Thiess: With more than a decade of experience in autonomous mining services, providing operational expertise and maintenance capabilities

  • Norton Gold Fields: Offering a real-world proving ground at their Western Australian operations

  • EACON: Contributing their ORCASTRA® autonomous haulage system, already deployed across more than 1,000 trucks at over 20 global sites

"EACON's OEM-agnostic platform, scalability, and demonstrated results were key to moving this collaboration forward," noted Ryan Kirkwood, Group Executive – Autonomy & Assets at Thiess.

Beyond Technology Demonstration

While the technical achievement is impressive, the broader implications for the mining industry are equally significant. Norton Gold Fields CEO Wei Lin highlighted a crucial benefit: "This technology will enable us to mine low-grade resources that were previously out of reach – supporting community development, job creation, and long-term value."

This points to one of open autonomy's core promises – that by reducing barriers to adoption and allowing mines to select best-fit solutions, autonomous technology can unlock previously uneconomical resources while improving safety and efficiency.


The Road Ahead

Jerry's commissioning marks the beginning of a phased approach. In the initial stage, EACON will deploy its autonomy solution on two of Thiess' Komatsu HD1500 trucks operating within the mining boundaries of Norton Gold Fields. The focus will be on validating both the drive-by-wire system and autonomous functionality under real-world Australian mining conditions.

In the second phase, the project will scale to a fully autonomous haulage fleet operating within an active production pit, integrating seamlessly into day-to-day mining operations. Full production trials are targeted for early 2026.


What This Means for Open Autonomy

The arrival of Jerry represents more than a single truck or even a single project. It demonstrates that:

  1. Retrofit is viable: Existing fleets can be upgraded rather than replaced

  2. OEM-agnostic solutions work: Technology providers can successfully integrate with equipment from different manufacturers

  3. Collaboration models exist: Mining companies, contractors, and technology providers can work together effectively under open autonomy principles

  4. Australian mining is ready: Local facilities and expertise can support these implementations

As EACON Mining Australia COO Elaine Jin stated at the partnership signing: "It reflects a shared commitment to redefining what's possible in mining through innovation and collaboration."


Moving Forward

The success of this initial deployment will be closely watched by the industry. If Jerry and its soon-to-follow companion truck perform as expected, it could accelerate the adoption of open, interoperable autonomous solutions across Australian mining operations.

For an industry facing persistent challenges around safety, productivity, and sustainability, the ability to choose and integrate the best autonomous solutions – regardless of vendor – could be transformative. Jerry's arrival at Norton Gold Fields may be remembered as the moment when open autonomy moved from concept to reality in Australian mining.



The editors of OpenAutonomy.com are committed to documenting the progress of open, interoperable autonomous solutions in the mining industry. We welcome contributions from industry participants working to advance these principles.

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