Mariana Minerals is deploying Pronto's autonomous haulage trucks at its Utah copper mine, the first deal since Travis Kalanick's Atoms Inc acquired the AV startup ■ The partnership pairs controversial figures: Mariana founder Anthony Levandowski (ex-Tesla, ex-Waymo) and Uber co-founder Kalanick ■ Mining automation represents a new frontier for autonomous vehicles, with controlled environments offering faster path to deployment than public roads ■ The deal tests whether Kalanick's bet on industrial autonomy can succeed where consumer robotaxis have struggled Travis Kalanick's autonomous vehicle bet just landed its first major customer. Mariana Minerals, founded by former Tesla engineer Anthony Levandowski, is deploying Pronto's self-driving haulage trucks at its Utah copper mine - marking the first commercial deal since Kalanick's Atoms Inc acquired Pronto. The move signals a fresh push to bring AI-powered automation to one of the world's oldest industries, while reuniting two of Silicon Valley's most controversial figures in the process. Pronto is taking its autonomous technology underground - literally. The self-driving truck startup, now owned by Travis Kalanick's Atoms Inc, just signed its first mining customer since the acquisition. Mariana Minerals, a copper mining startup founded by former Tesla engineer Anthony Levandowski, will deploy Pronto's autonomous haulage system at its Utah operation. The timing couldn't be more strategic. As robotaxi companies burn through billions trying to navigate city streets, mining offers a controlled environment where autonomous tech can prove itself today. Mariana's open-pit copper mine presents fewer variables - no pedestrians, no traffic lights, predictable routes - making it an ideal testing ground for AI that's not quite ready for urban chaos. Levandowski brings serious pedigree, if controversial baggage. After stints at Tesla and Google's Waymo (where he later faced trade secret theft charges), he's betting that industrial automation represents the fastest path to autonomous revenue. "The mine operates