Dirty Work Goes Driverless at the Dump

The next big leap for autonomous tech is happening at your local landfill.

Operators once steering 40-ton bulldozers over the tough, trash-filled terrain of the Marana Regional Landfill near Tucson, Ariz., are now remotely piloting a Caterpillar with a joystick hundreds of yards away.

The Marana landfill is likely a preview of the future of operating machinery in dusty and hazardous conditions, reports Bob Tita. For Houston-based WM, the landfill’s owner, the site has become a proving ground for remote-controlled and autonomous machines aimed at improving safety and reducing operating costs.

Caterpillar and WM built a Wi-Fi network with portable towers that connect the dozer to a command trailer. There, an operator uses the same joysticks and pedals found in the cab, while cameras on the dozer relay 360-degree video as well as the sound of the engine and the tracks to alert to strain or slog.

Deploying autonomous and remotely piloted machinery offers a one solution to the shortage of heavy equipment operators across construction and other job sites. The predictable and monotonous operations of a landfill—dozens of tractor-trailers dump nearly 1,800 tons of trash at Marana daily—are ideal for automated equipment.

Next up is a driverless Caterpillar compactor with spiked steel wheels that will run over a programmed course, flattening fresh layers of refuse to make way for additional waste.

More on this topic:

🤔 What machinery should automation take over next? Send me your thoughts, questions and predictions at future@wsj.com. Include your full name and state, and we might publish your response in a coming edition. (If you’re reading this in your inbox, you can just hit reply.)

An alliance of world leaders is racing to create AI controls. A club of Western presidents and prime ministers is leading a new push for global controls on AI, echoing the nuclear arms treaties that took root during the first decades of the Atomic Era.

The tech elite is funding an alternative to college. Andreessen Horowitz has a message for up-and-coming tech talent: Don’t drop out of school to start a company; come do school with us instead.

K-pop is betting on AI and robots. Will fans buy it? A new wave is unfolding amid growing concerns from fans and regulators about AI’s impact on creativity and authenticity, and whether investment in entertainment technology will ultimately deliver on its promise.

Natural-fiber clothing is in demand. Some scientists say it needs more scrutiny. New research is challenging the assumptions that fabrics such as cotton and wool pose no health risks and don’t shed.

Last week, we reported on El Niño. Readers shared their thoughts about how they’re preparing for extreme weather this winter.

(Responses have been condensed and edited.)

Thanks for reading The Future of Everything. We cover the innovation and tech transforming the way we live, work and play. Get in touch with us at future@wsj.com (if you’re reading this in your inbox, just hit reply). Got a tip for us? Here’s how to submit.