KEY POINTS
- Hexagon’s next-generation Vehicle Intervention System is an EMESRT Level 9 platform that can automatically take control of surface-mining machines to prevent collisions.
- It is the first open-pit Level 9 solution to complete the University of Pretoria’s independent Technology Readiness Level 4 validation.
- The system enforces speed and following distances, manages overspeed on ramps and works across vehicle types without OEM lock-in, building on deployments since 2018.
Hexagon has launched a next-generation Vehicle Intervention System, an advanced safety platform built to help surface-mining operations prevent collisions before they occur by taking control of a machine when risk peaks.
The system marks the latest evolution of Hexagon’s proven VIS platform, extending autonomous intervention and widening protection across high-risk scenarios. Specifically, as an EMESRT Level 9 system, it can automatically seize control when safety thresholds are breached, helping prevent incidents, protect workers and sustain operations.
A validated safety milestone
The launch follows successful completion of the University of Pretoria’s independent Technology Readiness Level 4 validation, making VIS the first open-pit Level 9 solution to reach that mark. Moreover, it builds on Hexagon’s Collision Avoidance System and wider safety portfolio, adding a final layer of protection when advisory controls alone fall short.
According to Hexagon, the system can inhibit propulsion, apply braking or retardation, enforce safe following distances and manage overspeed, including on ramps. Furthermore, it can bring a vehicle to a safe state if it detects a critical system fault, closing gaps that human reaction times cannot.
Broad coverage and proven use
The platform delivers several core capabilities. Specifically, it autonomously intervenes to prevent vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-person and vehicle-to-obstacle collisions, while enforcing speed limits and following distances. Additionally, it continuously monitors system health and supports many vehicle types and manufacturers without OEM lock-in.
According to Hexagon Mining Division president Dave Goddard, surface operators face complex risks driven by poor visibility, fatigue, environmental conditions and human factors. Consequently, he said mines need technology that acts decisively when milliseconds matter, calling the new VIS the highest level of intervention available.
However, the technology is far from untested. VIS has run in production since 2018 and supported operations across four continents, and the new platform expands intervention coverage while sharpening precision. Ultimately, Hexagon positioned the launch within a broader safety suite spanning collision avoidance, 4D radar sensing, operator awareness and analytics, all aimed at moving mines toward zero harm.
