This driverless mining truck can move like a crab
What's the story
China has unveiled a revolutionary autonomous mining truck, the "Shuanglin K7," that can "crab-walk" across rough terrain. The vehicle, which weighs nearly 100 tons, is designed to modernize China's mining industry with advanced technology. Despite its massive size, the K7 offers exceptional maneuverability and power for continuous operation. It was jointly developed by Shanghai-based automotive components manufacturer Shuanglin Group and Tsinghua University.
Advanced technology
The K7 is over 5 meters tall and wide
The K7 is over five meters tall and wide, and nearly 14 meters long. It can move sideways and turn on the spot, making it ideal for narrow pits and complex sloped roadways. This is a major improvement over traditional mining trucks that take a long time to turn around in tight loading areas, often creating blind-spot risks.
Innovative design
Reasons behind advanced maneuverability
The K7's advanced maneuverability is made possible by a distributed electric drive-by-wire corner module. This technology allows the truck to do demanding moves such as lateral translation and on-the-spot turns. The vehicle also offers the hauling capacity and power required for continuous, round-the-clock operation, making it an efficient solution for modern mining operations.