CAVE – Interoperable Collaboration of Autonomous Vehicles and Machines

About the Project

Autonomous vehicles and machines are becoming an increasingly important part of the mining industry's transition towards higher productivity, improved safety, and reduced environmental impact. At the same time, modern mining operations are complex environments where vehicles, machines, and personnel from multiple suppliers must be able to operate and collaborate within the same operational setting.

Despite rapid advances in automation, many of today's solutions function as isolated, vendor-specific systems. This limits the ability to share information, coordinate traffic, and optimize joint operational processes. To realize the full value of autonomy, autonomous systems must be able to work together, both above and below ground.

CAVE addresses this challenge by developing the conditions for safe, efficient, and interoperable collaboration between autonomous and manually operated vehicles and machines.

Project Objectives

CAVE aims to lay the foundation for the next generation of autonomous mining operations by enabling collaboration between vehicles and machines from different suppliers within shared Autonomous Operation Zones (AOZs).

The project will develop knowledge, architectural principles, and design guidelines that enable the sharing of situational awareness, traffic-related information, and operational decisions across different technical systems.

From Vendor Silos to a Shared Operational Picture

The project is based on the recognition that the mine of the future will consist of multiple interacting autonomous systems rather than a single supplier's solution.

To make this possible, a common digital playing field is needed where vehicles and machines can share relevant information about positions, traffic regulations, work zones, safety restrictions, and operational priorities.

CAVE therefore develops a system solution based on interoperability and Systems-of-Systems principles. The focus is on enabling systems from different stakeholders to cooperate without requiring integration into a single common platform.

Through standardized information exchange and shared principles for collaboration, each stakeholder can retain its own systems while contributing to optimization of the overall mining operation.

Expected Impact

By enabling interoperable collaboration between autonomous and manually operated vehicles and machines, CAVE is expected to:

• Improve safety in complex mining environments.
• Increase operational efficiency and productivity.
• Enable more effective coordination between equipment from different suppliers.
• Reduce barriers to the adoption of autonomous technologies.
• Support the mining industry's transition towards more sustainable and automated operations.
• Contribute knowledge and guidelines for future interoperable Autonomous Operation Zones.

Project Partners

The project is carried out by a strong consortium consisting of leading organizations from the mining, vehicle, and research sectors:

• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (Project Coordinator)
• Boliden Mineral AB
• Epiroc AB
• Scania AB
• Volvo Autonomous Solutions AB

Funding

CAVE is funded through the Impact Innovation programme Swedish Metals & Minerals, a joint initiative of the Swedish Energy Agency (Energimyndigheten), Formas, and Vinnova.

The project runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 December 2028.