Demonstration Test of Autonomous Loading and Autonomous Hauling Through Coordination of Excavators and Crawler Dump Trucks
Sumitomo Heavy Industries and two other companies successfully automated earth and sand loading and hauling using coordinated autonomous construction machinery.
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- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (2h 56m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 16, 2026 at 07:13 (392h 17m after Collected)
Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Toshio Watanabe, hereinafter "Sumitomo Heavy Industries"), Sumitomo Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Isamu Mitsuhashi, wholly owned by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, hereinafter "Sumitomo Construction Machinery"), and Fujita Corporation (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroharu Okumura, hereinafter "Fujita") have jointly conducted a demonstration test on the automation of earth and sand loading and hauling at construction sites through the coordination of autonomous excavators and autonomous crawler dump trucks. The objective was to evaluate the practicality of automating earth and sand hauling by verifying whether different autonomous construction machines could coordinate and complete the work cycle of "excavation → loading → hauling → soil discharge" based on instructions from a construction management system. As a result, it was confirmed that the work could be carried out safely by a single operator of the system, without any contact between the machines.
※A video overview of this test can be viewed at the following URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7iYZbNFRVE (Sumitomo Heavy Industries YouTube Channel)
【Background of the Initiative】
The construction industry faces challenges in addressing labor shortages due to the declining number of young workers and an aging workforce, as well as improving productivity. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is promoting i-Construction 2.0, and construction machinery manufacturers and general contractors are also pursuing various initiatives towards the automation of construction work.
Sumitomo Heavy Industries and Sumitomo Construction Machinery have been independently developing autonomous hydraulic excavators (autonomous excavators) that operate autonomously according to their surroundings, and have been considering the possibility of integration with construction management systems that issue operational instructions to multiple construction machines.
Fujita Corporation has been engaged in demonstration experiments where multiple construction machines cooperate and perform construction autonomously based on instructions from its own construction management system, through programs such as the Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) of the Cabinet Office. They have been exploring the applicability to construction machinery in collaboration with manufacturers.
Against this backdrop, with the aim of reducing labor and advancing construction sites, the three companies held discussions and connected Sumitomo Heavy Industries/Sumitomo Construction Machinery's autonomous excavators and the autonomous crawler dump trucks developed through the SIP initiative to Fujita's construction management system to verify the automation of earth and sand loading and hauling.
【Overview of the Demonstration Test】
This demonstration was conducted from January 19, 2026, to February 28, 2026, at the site of the Funabashi Urban Planning Project, Ebikawa Upper Reaches District Land Readjustment Project, Basic Improvement Construction, which Fujita is carrying out in Chiba Prefecture. The purpose was to verify the work efficiency and safety of the "excavation → loading → hauling → soil discharge" work cycle by coordinating autonomous excavators and autonomous crawler dump trucks.
【Roles of the Three Companies】
FAQ
What was the main objective of this demonstration test?
The main objective was to evaluate the practicality of automating earth and sand hauling by verifying if different autonomous construction machines could coordinate and complete the work cycle of "excavation → loading → hauling → soil discharge" based on instructions from a construction management system.
Which companies were involved in this joint demonstration test?
The companies involved were Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., and Fujita Corporation.
What types of autonomous construction machinery were used in the test?
The test utilized autonomous excavators and autonomous crawler dump trucks.
Where and when was the demonstration test conducted?
The demonstration test was conducted from January 19, 2026, to February 28, 2026, at a construction site for the Funabashi Urban Planning Project in Chiba Prefecture.
What was the key outcome of the demonstration test?
It was confirmed that the work could be carried out safely by a single operator of the system, without any contact between the machines, demonstrating the feasibility of automated loading and hauling through coordination.