Collision avoidance systems in mining have become a priority for any operation seeking to reduce incidents, protect its teams and improve production continuity without overloading the operator. During his presentation at PERUMIN, Raúl Santana, CEO of Torsa, explained how the company is addressing this challenge through an operator-centred approach supported by real, operational technology that has been tested in different parts of the world.
This article summarises the key ideas from his talk and organises them to answer a central question in the sector: How can these systems improve safety without adding complexity to day-to-day operations?
Augmented operation as a practical approach to reducing risks
One of the central ideas of the presentation was the concept of augmented operation, which emerges from integrating different solutions that work in coordination to support the operator where the risk is highest. It is not about replacing the operator or making the operation more complex, but about providing tools that help them react in time, stay attentive and reduce the likelihood of incidents.
This approach is rooted in a reality that Raúl highlighted clearly: the transition from manual operation to autonomous operation is not immediate. It involves technological, budgetary and human challenges. And in a role as demanding as that of mining equipment operators, fatigue, monotony or even a brief distraction can make all the difference.
That is why Torsa’s objective is clear: to identify the critical moment in which an incident is triggered and help the operator avoid it, without interfering with their natural way of working.
Collision avoidance systems in mining: a vision that goes beyond alerts
Throughout the presentation, Raúl stressed that speaking only about “collision avoidance” is reductive. A collision, by definition, only exists once it has occurred. What can truly be done is to anticipate the situation that leads to the event and act before it happens.
Torsa’s Collision Avoidance System (CAS) operates across three dimensions:
1. Interaction between vehicles
It detects position, relative speed, visibility probability and terrain dynamics.
This makes it possible to prioritise the information that is truly relevant for the operator and avoid unnecessary alerts.
2. Interaction between vehicles and pedestrians
The solution is designed to protect both those inside the vehicle and those on foot, even if they are not carrying additional devices. Safety cannot rest solely on the individual, which is why the system detects any nearby presence.
3. Interaction with static objects
Mining fronts, berms, guard posts and level changes are part of daily operations in a mine. The system evaluates these elements and incorporates them into the risk analysis.
The result is a multimodal technology that adapts the information according to the type of equipment (shovels, trucks, forklifts, front loaders) and the task being performed (hauling, loading, stockpile manoeuvring).
This design prevents operator overload: less noise, more meaningful information.
Fatigue and distractions: a critical factor that directly affects safety
Another key part of the presentation focused on the fatigue monitoring system. Designed based on real customer needs, this system goes beyond detecting drowsiness:it identifies what is causing the operator’s distraction.
Among the behaviours it analyses are:
- involuntary eye closure
- prolonged gaze diversion
- mobile phone use
- eating or drinking while driving
- body postures that indicate loss of focus
Here, Raúl highlighted a key differentiating element of Torsa: the system analyses the operator’s full posture, not just the face. This prevents false alerts when the operator looks at a side mirror or performs normal manoeuvres that other systems might mistakenly interpret as fatigue.
Again, the objective is clear: not to inconvenience the operator, but to support them.
Smart intervention: act more, alert less
One of the most notable points of the presentation was the explanation of the intervention module.
Far from applying sudden braking that could compromise the operation, the system is designed to comply with EMESRT Level 9 requirements: it intervenes only when human reaction is not sufficient.
This makes it possible to:
- reduce excessive distance-based alerts
- limit speed when necessary
- maintain controlled operation at all times
- reduce accumulated operator stress
All of this without the operator having to configure anything. Protection works automatically, respecting the operator’s natural driving style.
Real data that enhances safety: the importance of continuous analysis
During the presentation, Raúl showed how the data generated by the systems is integrated into .torsacloud, Torsa’s analytics platform, where it is possible to:
- view real situations in real time
- review past events
- study how operators interact with one another
- identify risk patterns
- detect operators who are more exposed through performance reports, strengthening training where it has the greatest impact
In the Antapaccay mining operation, Torsa has collected more than 9 billion records, each containing over 80 variables. This information is essential for improving processes and for enabling safety and operations teams to make decisions based on data, not perceptions.
Field results: proven technology, not theoretical
Raúl shared examples of real environments where these systems are already in operation.
Torsa has full deployments in mines in South Africa and Saudi Arabia, where the CAS + anti-fatigue integration has demonstrated:
- operational robustness and reliability
- adaptability to diverse fleets
- improved operational continuity
- reduction in incidents caused by distraction or insufficient distance
- high acceptance among operators
- lower stress due to reduced alert overload
These results do not depend on a specific mine or country, but on a broader reality: when technology supports the operator instead of replacing them, safety improves.
Moving towards safer mining without adding complexity
The message of the presentation was clear: collision avoidance systems in mining must reduce risk without complicating the operation. The key lies in combining:
- intelligent analysis
- selective intervention
- understanding of human behaviour
- real operational data
- integration that supports rather than interferes
When all of this comes together, the operation becomes safer, smoother and more efficient.
Operators work with greater confidence and less stress, and mines reduce incidents, downtime and operating costs.
If you’d like to see how all of this comes to life in a real operation — with examples, field situations and Raúl’s direct explanation — we recommend watching the full video below 👇
