Heidelberg Materials, one of the world's largest producers of heavy building materials like cement and ready-mixed concrete, is expanding its use of AI-powered vehicles. The program was first introduced in 2023, with Heidelberg's North American branch introducing autonomous haul trucks at its Bridgeport Quarry in Texas. The company then did the same at its at its neighboring Lake Bridgeport Quarry. Now Heidelberg, based in Germany, is moving forward with a broader rollout across six sites and two vehicle types in North America, Australia, and Europe. In North America, Heidelberg Materials is extending the program to sites in Indiana and Texas. The expansion is part of a broader initiative to introduce more than 100 autonomous vehicles by the end of 2028, the company said. Heidelberg has several sites in the 69 News region, including quarries in Lower Nazareth Township, Stroudsburg, and Nockamixon Township. "We have not made any specific announcement on autonomous haul trucks at our sites in Pennsylvania, but our goal is to continue expanding the program," a company spokesperson told 69 News, via email. The haul trucks are driverless and automated, although they can also be manually monitored and controlled. Their systems use advanced sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence to move around, Heidelberg said. “Advancing automation and AI applications is a key pillar of our technical excellence agenda as we look to constantly raise the bar for our processes and equipment,” said Axel Conrads, Chief Technical Officer of Heidelberg Materials, in a news release. “With a strong global autonomous deployment team working closely with best-in-class technology partners, we are now focused on scaling the technology in a disciplined, results-driven way.” In addition to the haul truck, Heidelberg is also introducing an autonomous wheel loader at a sand and gravel pit in Germany. Heidelberg Cement first established a U.S. presence