Компания Nishimatsu создала систему автономной погрузки в туннелях с навигацией по LiDAR

Nishimatsu develops LiDAR-guided tunnel wheel loader automation KEY POINTS - Nishimatsu Construction develops autonomous wheel loader system for mountain tunnel muck haulage - LiDAR-based system generates optimal routes on its own, reducing pre-set path planning and operator route selection - Field testing planned within fiscal 2026 as Tunnel RemOS advances toward unmanned tunnel-face work Nishimatsu Construction has developed an autonomous driving system for wheel loaders used to remove excavated rock in mountain tunnel construction, the Japanese contractor said on July 16, marking a further step toward fully unmanned and automated tunnel works. The new system allows a wheel loader to determine, select and travel along its own driving route. Nishimatsu is developing the technology as part of Tunnel RemOS, its unmanned and automated construction system for mountain tunneling built around remote operation and autonomous driving of heavy machinery. The company developed an earlier autonomous driving system for wheel loaders in 2025. That version automated a round-trip sequence covering travel to the tunnel face, scooping up excavated material, and transporting and dumping it into a crusher located as far as about 100 meters behind the face. Under the previous setup, operators had to choose the most suitable route from multiple pre-set driving paths, creating additional work in route configuration and selection. In the new system, a LiDAR sensor mounted on the wheel loader identifies the machine's position precisely while also reading location data for excavated rock at the face and for the crusher. Based on that information, the system instantly generates an optimal route. The autonomous route-generation function removes the need for pre-setting routes and for operator route-selection inputs, easing the operating burden. The system also adjusts acceleration and braking automatically when curves or obstacles are present along the route, and can generate routes that exclude designated no-entry areas. Nishimatsu plans to conduct field verification within fiscal 2026 to confirm the system's effectiveness in actual construction and identify remaining issues. The company aims to improve productivity through labor savings of more than 30% by the end of fiscal 2030, and plans to integrate multiple remote-operation technologies under Tunnel RemOS by the end of fiscal 2027 to achieve unmanned work at the tunnel face. Mountain tunnel construction in Japan has long relied on heavy equipment operating in confined spaces near active excavation areas, where labor shortages and worker safety have supported interest in automation. Nishimatsu also said it had succeeded in demonstrating autonomous operation of multiple machines at its N-Field mountain tunnel technology development site in a March 21, 2025 news release. © Copyright 2026 IBTimes JP. All rights reserved.