Steer Secures First North American Order, to Deploy Mixed Cat and Komatsu Autonomous Fleet by 2027

en.Wedoany.com Reported - As demand continues to grow, Norwegian autonomous haulage company Steer has signed its first customer in North America and secured partnerships with two leading European limestone producers. The company's Next Generation Autonomous Haulage model is a low-cost, centrally operated solution tailored specifically for quarry applications—an industry currently facing the dual pressures of skilled labor shortages and shrinking profit margins.

The North American project will deploy a mixed fleet of autonomous trucks from Caterpillar (Cat) and Komatsu, with commercial operation expected to begin in 2027.

The first partnered large limestone producer project will retrofit its Caterpillar and Komatsu fleet in Eastern Europe for autonomous operation, with production-scale deployment targeted for the first quarter of 2027. Each truck will be equipped with Starlink onboard communication terminals, complemented by a proprietary safety system to ensure network security and communication continuity.

The second large limestone producer to adopt Steer's Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) will deploy an autonomous fleet comprising Caterpillar and Volvo trucks in Germany in 2027. This project also presents an additional technical challenge: autonomous haulage must operate in a GNSS-denied environment (without reliable satellite signal coverage), requiring Steer's positioning system to function stably without satellite signals.

In Germany, the Cat 772G autonomous project announced in October 2025 is progressing as planned, with commissioning expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026.

Beyond the continued advancement of core quarry projects in Europe, Steer's long-running remote control and specialized services are also steadily being delivered. This year's related activities include a remote control solution for Volvo wheel loaders at Boliden's underground mine in northern Sweden, as well as a project in Saudi Arabia (currently running behind schedule).

Additionally, a remote-controlled Cat D6 dozer has been delivered to a land reclamation project in Southern Europe. Over the past year, Steer has also undertaken multiple unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance projects for military and private operators across several European countries.

Looking ahead, Steer's core strategic focus remains on the quarry sector. The company believes the global quarry market is substantial and under significant pressure, with operators struggling not only to recruit and retain skilled drivers but also facing continuously compressed profit margins.

Njål Gjermundshaug, CEO of Steer, stated: "The quarry industry urgently needs a solution to the labor shortage, as well as a solution that genuinely improves profitability—not technology for technology's sake. This is precisely the market we are targeting."

At multiple quarry sites across Europe, Steer's autonomous trucks are already operating near around-the-clock: some sites achieve 18 hours per day, 7 days per week, some operate on single shifts (day/night), and others log only about 1,000 operating hours per year. All operations are remotely supported by Steer's team at its Norwegian headquarters, with no need for on-site control rooms at project locations.

With a cost per ton transported that is significantly lower than other autonomous haulage systems on the market, Steer states that its "Next Generation Autonomous Haulage" model is beginning to disrupt the global quarry market—a market that has previously relied almost entirely on manually driven haulage.

Furthermore, the company recently launched its Collision Avoidance System (CAS), which is fully integrated into its autonomous technology stack, enabling safe mixed operation of autonomous and manually operated equipment. Steer has also released a new version of its fleet management system, Steer Bedrock, developed specifically for quarry operations, with capabilities progressively catching up to established industry fleet management platforms (FMS) such as Caterpillar MineStar and Komatsu FrontRunner.

Steer is also advancing compliance efforts to ensure its products meet the requirements of the EU's new Machinery Regulation, which takes effect in January 2027.

Steer remains wholly owned by its employees and the Gjermundshaug family, with order growth supported solely by positive cash flow. To support the next phase of development, the company has revealed that it is preparing its first round of external equity financing, while steadily expanding its team and ensuring it does not lose the corporate culture that has driven the company to where it is today.

Steer will also exhibit at the Steinexpo stone exhibition in Homberg, Germany, from September 2 to 5, with a booth area of 11 square meters. At the event, the company will broadcast live footage of autonomous truck operations at a quarry and unveil a new 3D simulator for its Autonomous Haulage System (AHS).