That may seem like an odd practice to eliminate, but it makes a lot of sense -- human drivers can only pilot a vehicle by looking out of the front window, requiring them to turn around once they get to a dump site to deposit materials. A self driving hauler doesn't have that setback: it can simply reverse course without turning. The autonomous design is also more balanced than a normal truck, with the load equally distributed on its four-wheel drive chassis. The company is hoping the balanced load will help the new hauler better negotiate slippery terrain.

The Innovative Autonomous Haulage Vehicle was only just unveiled in Vegas, but Komatsu says it's planning to get the rig on the market (and into mining operations) soon.