UK's MMD Allies With CiDi to Bring Chinese Firm's Autonomous Haulage System to Mines Worldwide

(Yicai) April 21 -- MMD Group, a UK manufacturer of innovative material processing equipment, has linked arms with CiDi to integrate the Chinese company's advanced autonomous technology into global mining operations.CiDi will provide self-driving hardware and software for MMD's TraxIQ material handling platform, including sensing and compute systems, as well as retrofit kits designed to make compatible mining equipment autonomous, a spokesperson for the UK company told Yicai yesterday. MMD will handle the platform's global commercialization and deployment.Real-world deployability, or can the autonomous tech operate reliably in demanding and wide-ranging mining environments, fully integrate with existing operations, and support the transition pathway that most mines require, was a major consideration when evaluating CiDi as a potential partner, the spokesperson noted."Mining operations do not move from conventional to fully autonomous overnight," the spokesperson pointed out. “They are evolving environments, often with constraints around site layout, connectivity, infrastructure, and legacy equipment.”"The agreement establishes a framework for long-term collaboration as the TraxIQ platform progresses toward deployment and commercialization across global mining markets," said Ma Wei, co-founder of CiDi.CiDi's flagship product MetaMine, the first fully autonomous, system-level solution designed for mining operations, integrates driverless trucks, a fleet coordination module, a central dispatch platform, and a teleoperation station for remote excavator control into a single haulage architecture.MetaMine was deployed at CHN Energy Investment Group's open-pit coal mine in northwest China. Within two months of starting trial operation in early 2024, 56 self-driving trucks were operating alongside roughly 500 manned vehicles without on-site safety personnel, making it the world's largest mixed-operation mining fleet.CiDi delivered more than 1,500 self-driving mining trucks across China in the first half of last year, bringing in revenue of CNY408 million (USD59.9 million) in the period. In comparison, its annual income topped CNY410 million in 2024.CiDi Is Tech Provider, Not OperatorCiDi positions itself as a technology solution provider rather than a vehicle manufacturer or mine operator, the Changsha-based firm said to Yicai. It works with original equipment manufacturers on factory-fit installations, extending the approach to existing fleets through the MMD deal, it added."We only output core autonomous driving products and technical capabilities," but do not participate in mine operations, CiDi stressed, noting that it does not compete with clients or their equipment suppliers for operational upside. The retrofit kits are aimed at mine operators who wish to upgrade their fleets without having to buy new gear, it said.Data Governance"Customers must have transparency and control over how their operational data is managed," MMD said regarding whether its mining clients in Australia, Africa, and the Americas operating under data residency and cybersecurity requirements will have concerns over TraxIQ's data security."This includes clarity on data residency, access rights, and cybersecurity protocols," MMD noted. "Data governance arrangements will be defined explicitly for each implementation, in line with customer requirements and local regulatory expectations. For many clients, this will involve local data hosting, controlled access environments, and compliance with established corporate and jurisdictional standards."Trust in data governance is fundamental to adoption," so it must be treated as a core component of the system deployment framework rather than a secondary consideration, MMD pointed out.Coal Mines Are Not Data CentersAs generative artificial intelligence draws tech companies toward industrial automation, CiDi has articulated its competitive positioning against software-first entrants, according to the company."The advantages of Silicon Valley AI companies are mainly concentrated in general large model development," CiDi said. “Mining belongs to a typical extreme industrial scenario where safety, reliability, real-time response, and efficiency are the core rigid requirements.”CiDi has a multi-sensor fusion perception suite, designed to operate through dust, extreme temperatures, and heavy load conditions, and a mine-specific world model that it is developing in-house. It also holds patents across perception, scheduling, and vehicle-to-everything communications."Mining is absolutely not a digital testing ground for AI, but a comprehensive tech, engineering, commerce, and ecosystem arena," CiDi stressed.Editor: Martin Kadiev