Suncor will begin using autonomous vehicles at company-operated mines, which could result in layoffs as early as 2019, the Calgary-based energy company said in a release Tuesday. About 150 autonomous trucks are expected to be phased into use over the next six years, which the company says will be one of the largest investments in electric autonomous vehicles in the world. The move follows a transition from bucket-wheel to truck and shovel operations in the early 1990s. The trucks will "operate predictably and employ a suite of safety features like prescribed route mapping and obstacle detection systems," the company said. "Autonomous haulage systems reduce interaction between people and equipment, which decreases incident rates and injury potential," said Little.

Source: CBC News January 31, 2018 01:22 UTC