Fortescue advances CAS capability as first step in its HaulX technology suite
In February, Fortescue CEO Metals and Operations Dino Otranto said the company had launched its Collision Avoidance System (CAS) as part of a showcase to industry event – representing he said a fundamental step change in how the miner approaches vehicle safety. He said the CAS is “a practical, engineered layer of control designed to intervene in real operating conditions.” When a light vehicle enters the 20 m exclusion zone around stationary or moving heavy mining equipment, the system intervenes automatically.
Travis Hester, Fortescue Chief Technology Officer – Electromobility
Otranto added that CAS is not a standalone capability. It sits within HaulX, Fortescue’s mining technology suite developed directly from operational challenges. To get more insight into this important development – IM Editorial Director Paul Moore caught up with Travis Hester, Fortescue Chief Technology Officer – Electromobility.
Q Following the recent LinkedIn post about the HaulX CAS Showcase presentation, how would you describe the significance of that event for Fortescue and HaulX?
It marked the first time we publicly shared CAS as more than an internal safety initiative. CAS has been operating in our Pilbara production environments for some time. The event marked a shift from internal validation to broader industry engagement. We’ve tested and refined it in our live operations, and the interest from peers suggests there is appetite for practical, operationally proven safety technology.
Q What prompted you to showcase CAS at this stage?
Two reasons. First, we have confidence in the system’s production maturity. It is deployed across more than 400 assets in active operations, including heavy mining equipment and light vehicles. Second, safety should not sit behind closed doors. If we’ve developed something that contributes to reducing interaction risk, it makes sense to share what we’ve learned.
Q How do you define CAS, and what problem was it designed to solve?
CAS is a collision avoidance system designed to prevent interactions between heavy mining equipment and light vehicles. It uses GNSS and V2X communication to detect proximity breaches and can automatically apply the brake on heavy equipment when thresholds are exceeded. It was developed to address a real operational risk – human error in complex, high-traffic mining environments. Even strong safety cultures experience moments of distraction or limited visibility. CAS adds an additional physical control layer to reduce the likelihood and consequence of those events.
Q How does CAS fit within HaulX without depending on the full ecosystem?
CAS is foundational within HaulX, our mining technology suite, but operates independently. It provides a proven safety control layer that underpins more advanced fleet capability. HaulX brings together four modular components – Fleet Management, Autonomous Haulage, Machine Guidance and Collision Avoidance – designed to operate across mixed fleets.
Q Why was collision avoidance the first externally visible component?
Because the safety of our workers must be at the core of our values. Before you talk about automation, electrification or system optimisation, you must ensure safe interaction management. CAS provides a clear, measurable way to reduce risk in load and haul environments. It also gave us real-world experience integrating digital control systems into operational fleets, which has informed broader development.
Q To what extent is CAS deployed in Fortescue operations, and what impact has it had?
CAS is currently active across more than 400 assets in our Pilbara operations – approximately 80 heavy mining equipment units and over 320 light vehicles. Since activation in 2023, we have not recorded any reportable incidents in areas where CAS has been installed.
Q What have been the key learnings from running it live?
Two clear learnings. First, simplicity matters. Technology must fit into existing workflows without creating unnecessary complexity. Second, integration is critical. A safety system cannot operate in isolation. It must coexist with fleet management systems, autonomous systems and site rules. That integration capability has shaped our approach moving forward.
Q CAS intervenes automatically — how would you characterise its level of intervention?
CAS is an intervention system, not just a warning system. It can automatically apply braking to heavy mining equipment when proximity thresholds are breached, acting as an additional safeguard within a layered safety framework when human error occurs.
Q How does CAS coexist with OEM FMS or AHS technologies?
CAS is complementary and does not replace OEM systems. It integrates with existing braking systems and operates independently of Wi-Fi or cellular infrastructure. It is designed to coexist within mixed technology environments. Mining operations rarely operate with a single vendor ecosystem, so interoperability was a design principle from the outset.
Q What led you to consider commercialising CAS?
CAS was originally developed for our own operational needs. After observing consistent safety performance internally and strong industry engagement, we began assessing whether it could have broader applicability.
Q How does CAS support mixed autonomous and non-autonomous environments?
Mixed environments are one of the most complex operational challenges. CAS provides a consistent interaction control layer regardless of asset type. That capability becomes increasingly important as fleets transition toward greater levels of automation.
Q How do you see CAS evolving from here?
Our immediate focus is on continuing to validate and strengthen its production performance in live operations and expand into new assets and use cases.
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