Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM) has announced an operator assist system designed to increase the efficiency and safety of digging and loading operations for ultra-large hydraulic excavators.

The manufacturer is set to conduct a test at a prominent Rio Tinto mine site in Australia.

Hitachi says that the operator assist system alleviates the burden on the operator, elevates mine site safety standards, boosts productivity, and reduces fuel consumption.

The system is aimed at streamlining operations while fortifying safety protocols.

The test, which will occur at one of Rio Tinto’s iron ore mines in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and will focus on digging performance and loading tasks by the new system and assess the usability of the in-cab monitor display

In partnership with Rio, Hitachi aims to introduce the operator assist system in stages commencing in 2025.

HCM will include retrofitting support for a spectrum of ultra-large hydraulic excavator models, ranging from the EX2000-7 to the EX8000-7 series.