(Yicai) April 21 -- MMD Group, a UK manufacturer of innovative material processing equipment, has linked arms with CiDi to integrate the Chinese company's advanced autonomous technology into global mining operations. CiDi will provide self-driving hardware and software for MMD's TraxIQ material handling platform, including sensing and compute systems, as well as retrofit kits designed to make compatible mining equipment autonomous, a spokesperson for the UK company told Yicai yesterday. MMD will handle the platform's global commercialization and deployment. Real-world deployability, or can the autonomous tech operate reliably in demanding and wide-ranging mining environments, fully integrate with existing operations, and support the transition pathway that most mines require, was a major consideration when evaluating CiDi as a potential partner, the spokesperson noted. "Mining operations do not move from conventional to fully autonomous overnight," the spokesperson pointed out. “They are evolving environments, often with constraints around site layout, connectivity, infrastructure, and legacy equipment.” "The agreement establishes a framework for long-term collaboration as the TraxIQ platform progresses toward deployment and commercialization across global mining markets," said Ma Wei, co-founder of CiDi. CiDi's flagship product MetaMine, the first fully autonomous, system-level solution designed for mining operations, integrates driverless trucks, a fleet coordination module, a central dispatch platform, and a teleoperation station for remote excavator control into a single haulage architecture. MetaMine was deployed at CHN Energy Investment Group's open-pit coal mine in northwest China. Within two months of starting trial operation in early 2024, 56 self-driving trucks were operating alongside roughly 500 manned vehicles without on-site safety personnel, making it the world's largest mixed-operation mining fleet. CiDi’s revenue surged 115.8 percent year on year to CNY884.8 million (USD129.8 million) last year, driven by a fourfold increase in deliveries to 630 units/sets. As of Feb. 28, the company had delivered and was in the