Innovation

John Deere Unveils Its First Self-Driving Dump Truck

The truck is based on Deere’s fully autonomous tractors unveiled in 2022.

Updated on

January 31, 2025

John Deere 460E-II truck. (Photo: Courtesy)

John Deere has introduced its first self-driving articulated dump lorry (ADT), unveiled earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas.

The 460E-II, equipped with autonomy technology developed by Deere and its subsidiaries, Blue River Technology and Bear Flag Robotics, marks the company’s first autonomous venture into the construction industry.

The 46-ton, self-driving lorry was demonstrated during a pre-CES event on 13 November at Blue River’s demonstration grounds in Gilroy, California.

The technology behind the autonomous ADT relies on stereo cameras, satellite-signal receivers, and advanced algorithms to allow the vehicle to navigate independently.

Deere’s “autonomy stack,” as the company calls it, includes two Starfire 7000 satellite signal receivers that are also used in Deere’s Precision Ag machine-control systems.

Six stereo cameras around the lorry provide it with 360-degree vision, while two vision processing units, housed in a yellow box atop the vehicle, enable it to process its surroundings and navigate autonomously.

Deere officials said that, after further development, the autonomous system could potentially be sold as a retrofit kit for the 460 P-Tier, Deere’s largest articulated dump lorry and the replacement for the 460E model. The company has already been testing the self-driving ADT at quarries and collecting customer feedback.

While it is still under research and development, no date has been forwarded for the technology’s release into the market.

Jahmy Hindman, Deere’s Chief Technology Officer, discussed how autonomous technology could help relieve the labour shortages that are persistent in the construction industry. He cited the results of a survey that 88% of construction contractors have difficulty finding workers.

“That’s an incredible and astounding number,” Hindman said. “Fundamentally, nobody in construction can find the labour that they need to get the work done, that they need to get done at the time they want to get it done. That’s the reality.”

Deere believes the autonomous technology could offer significant improvements in safety and efficiency for repetitive tasks, particularly in aggregate quarries and site development.

The self-driving ADT is designed to take over these tasks, reducing the reliance on human operators and improving productivity.

The self-driving lorry is based on Deere’s fully autonomous tractors, first unveiled at CES 2022. The vehicle’s advanced features, including the “autonomy stack” and stereo cameras, allow it to perform tasks with high reliability and precision, contributing to safety and operational efficiency.

Deere’s move into self-driving dump trucks marks a big step for construction machinery. While still in development, the technology aims to address key industry challenges, including worker shortages and the need for safer, more efficient equipment.