By Neville Judd
Safety in open-pit mining has always depended on layers of control, from site design and procedures to operator awareness and advanced warning systems. But when seconds matter and human response is not enough, only one layer remains: automatic intervention.
Hexagon’s next-generation Vehicle Intervention System (VIS) has now become the first and only open-pit Level 9 solution to successfully pass the University of Pretoria’s (UP) rigorous Collision Prevention System (CPS) Technology Readiness Level 4 (TRL4) test specification.
This independent verification confirms the system’s fundamental detection, warning, control, logging and self-diagnostics/fail-to-safe functionality. It’s a critical milestone under the Minerals Council South Africa framework and an important step toward integrated field deployment.
For mining companies striving for zero harm, it represents more than a test result. It is validation that next-generation intervention technology is ready for the demands of modern operations.
In high-traffic, high-tonnage open pits, the final layer of protection provided by a vehicle intervention system can be the difference between a near miss and a serious incident. Hexagon VIS is the first and only open-pit Level 9 solution to pass the University of Pretoria’s Collision Prevention System (CPS) Technology Readiness Level 4 (TRL4) test specification.
What Level 9 intervention really means
Under EMESRT’s (Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table) nine-level framework for preventing vehicle interactions, controls progress from site-level design and procedures through advisory systems to full automatic intervention.
Level 9 represents the highest level of control. At this stage, a system can automatically intervene to slow or stop a machine if the operator does not respond to a hazard.
In practical terms, this means:
- Automatically inhibiting propulsion
- Applying retarder or service braking
- Enforcing safe following distances
- Managing ramp overspeed
- Bringing a vehicle to a safe state in the event of system failure
These capabilities are designed as a last resort, activating only when a Level 8 warning has not been addressed.
In high-traffic, high-tonnage open pits, this final layer of protection can be the difference between a near miss and a serious incident.
VIS originally became the first Level 9 solution available to the market when introduced in 2017. Before launch, it underwent more than 10,000 hours of testing in a working mine, establishing a benchmark for open-pit intervention.
Independent verification under real-world scrutiny
The University of Pretoria conducts TRL4 verification testing for CPS and Collision Warning Devices in controlled laboratory and proving ground environments.
These tests are designed to validate that systems can reliably detect and prevent collisions through scientific, quantifiable, and repeatable testing. The scope includes:
- Independent assessment of detection and tracking
- Early warning functionality
- Control functions
- Logging capabilities
- ISO21815 compatibility
- Fail-to-safe and self-diagnostics
Passing TRL4 is a critical stage gate in South Africa’s MOSH (Mining Industry Occupational Safety and Health) initiative. It ensures technologies demonstrate reliable, repeatable performance before full integration into live operations.
For customers, this independent validation provides confidence that VIS has been objectively tested against one of the industry’s most stringent specifications.
Building on a proven foundation
VIS originally became the first Level 9 solution available to the market when introduced in 2017. Before launch, it underwent more than 10,000 hours of testing in a working mine, establishing a benchmark for open-pit intervention.
The latest generation of VIS builds on that operational heritage with enhanced architecture and performance aligned to current Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, and Minerals Council South Africa requirements.
This evolution reflects a broader shift in mining safety:
- From reactive reporting to proactive prevention
- From siloed warning systems to integrated safety platforms
- From manual compliance to digitally verified assurance
As Dave Goddard, President of Hexagon’s Mining Division, noted, the TRL4 verification “gives our customers confidence that our next-generation Level 9 intervention solution has been independently verified in a controlled environment before moving to integrated site testing”.
Safety as a foundation for the digital mine
While VIS is a safety system, its impact extends beyond collision prevention. Hexagon is focused on connecting physical reality and digital intelligence into a continuously evolving system. Every interaction with the ore body is an opportunity to reduce uncertainty and carry forward knowledge across the value chain.
At the centre of this vision is a living digital twin of the mine, a real-time, time-aware representation spanning exploration, extraction, processing and closure.
In this context, VIS contributes in three important ways:
- Trusted intervention enables trusted autonomy
Autonomy depends on confidence in detection, decision-making, and actuation. Level 9 intervention demonstrates that machines can respond deterministically and safely when required, a foundational capability for autonomous and semi-autonomous operations. - Logging turns events into insight
TRL4 verification includes logging capabilities. These data streams do more than document compliance. They feed the digital twin, enriching operational context and supporting continuous improvement. - Safety supports productivity and value
Mining moves from reacting to variability to mastering it when decisions are synchronised across geology, planning and execution. A safer pit is a more stable pit. Fewer incidents mean fewer disruptions, more predictable production and stronger economic outcomes.
In short, safety is not separate from productivity. It is a prerequisite for it.
From compliance to competitive advantage
Across global mining jurisdictions, regulatory frameworks are tightening. In South Africa, alignment with the Minerals Council framework and MOSH stage gates is essential. But leading operations view compliance as a baseline, not the goal.
A verified Level 9 system helps mines:
- Demonstrate regulatory alignment
- Reduce risk exposure
- Strengthen workforce trust
- Accelerate digital transformation initiatives
Because VIS is designed to integrate within Hexagon’s broader ecosystem, including Fleet Management Systems and connected analytics, it becomes part of a wider, OEM-agnostic, open-platform approach consistent with Hexagon’s focus.
Rather than operating as a standalone safeguard, it becomes a key ingredient in a connected safety and productivity architecture.
Advancing toward zero harm
The industry’s aspiration for zero harm requires more than policies and procedures. It demands systems that are measurable, verifiable, and engineered to act when humans cannot.
By becoming the only open-pit Level 9 solution to pass the University of Pretoria’s TRL4 CPS test, Hexagon VIS has cleared a critical stage gate on the path to integrated field deployment. It reinforces Hexagon’s long-standing commitment to safety as foundational to mining’s future, and integral to the broader transformation from ore to value.
Explore more
To learn how VIS integrates with Hexagon’s safety and Fleet Management System solutions — and how it can support your journey toward zero harm and digital mining — visit the VIS product page.