Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI) is a company that provides OEM-agnostic hardware and software to transform vehicles into fully autonomous vehicles across industries such as heavy construction, agriculture, and logistics. Pulse 2.0 spoke with Mel Torrie, CEO of ASI, to learn more.
Mel Tory’s career
Could you tell us more about your background? Tory said:
“I have a master’s degree in electrical engineering and a minor in computer science, and have spent over 25 years working on practical robotics and improving autonomy in real-world industrial environments. As CEO of ASI, I led our team to become one of the most experienced autonomous companies in the world, deploying a fleet of autonomous vehicles that operate safely in harsh environments such as large open pit mines and industrial logistics sites.”
Establishment of a company
How did the idea for the company come together? Tory shared:
“One day, during an undergraduate program, I saw a wheelchair running down the hallway and started following the professor to find out who it was. I begged him for a job and ended up getting a job sorting bolts in the lab. It was a coincidence in that hallway that really got me interested in robotics. John Deere saw the paper I wrote and eventually asked me to start a company to work with them on product development.”
favorite memory
What is your favorite memory of running the company so far? Tory recalled:
“This is the moment when autonomy moves from concept to reality in large-scale industrial settings. We’re talking about autonomous mining trucks and heavy machinery operating safely at scale, hauling millions of tons of ore and driving millions of miles autonomously. That’s exciting.”
Main products
What are the company’s core products and features? Tory explained:
“Mobius is ASI’s flagship autonomous driving platform. We provide the core software and AI systems that enable vehicles to operate without a driver. This applies to any industry or vehicle type. So companies don’t have to spend resources purchasing new fleets. Instead, we power them with Mobius to transform their operations. In fact, ASI has been a pioneer in retrofitting existing machines with self-driving capabilities rather than requiring customers to purchase new vehicles. Additionally, the entire fleet works together across operations.”
The main features of Mobius are:
- Autonomous navigation and route planning
- Obstacle detection and avoidance
- High precision sensor fusion (LiDAR, radar, camera, GPS, IMU)
- Vehicle control and safety logic with redundant controls
- Vehicle drive-by-wire integration
- Execute missions and automate tasks
- Integration with OEM vehicle control systems
challenges faced
Have you faced any challenges in your field of work recently? Tory admitted:
“ASI has been looking to hire 300 product development people. We built the team through a combination of internal recruiters, external headhunters, offshoring in Lithuania, and acquisitions.”
Evolution of the company’s technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since its launch? Tory says:
“One of our two activities when we started ASI involved developing a robotic vehicle platform. This became too expensive, so we moved to retrofit only. We also started with deterministic algorithms, but evolved into advanced AI integration.”
important milestones
What is the company’s most important milestone? Tory said:
2000 — Company establishment
- ASI was founded by Mel Tory. Independent of Utah State University’s Robotics Research Program Focuses on intelligent systems and vehicle automation.
- The focus of his early work was Precision agriculture and robotic vehicle control.
Early 2000s — DARPA and the Robotics Program
- ASI participates in major race U.S. Robotics and Self-Driving Vehicle Research ProgramThis includes early defense and self-driving vehicle efforts that helped establish credibility in the self-driving field.
2013 — Bingham Canyon Mine Landslide Response
- After a large landslide, Kennecott Bingham Canyon MineASI deployed remote controlled excavator Safely move materials in unstable zones.
- This will be an early demonstration Autonomy improves safety in heavy industry.
2014 — Major mining partnerships
- Announced by ASI Multi-year partnership with Anglo American Develop autonomous transportation solutions.
- Demonstrates further expansion of ASI Large-scale mining automation.
2018 — Strategic investment from Epiroc
- Major mining equipment manufacturer Epiroc get Acquired 34% stake in ASI Miningcontributing to the acceleration of commercialization of autonomous driving systems.
2020 — Roy Hill Auto Transport Program
- ASI Mining signs a contract with Epiroc, 77 transport trucks have been converted to autonomous driving at Australia’s Roy Hill iron ore mine.
- The project is The world’s largest mixed fleet autonomous transport deployment.
2022–2023 — Commercial expansion of autonomous transportation
- Roy Hill is Möbius-based autonomous driving system After a successful validation phase, we move into full production operation.
2024 — Sale of ASI Mining to Epiroc
- ASI sells: From ASI Mining Business Division to EpirocThis will allow ASI to expand its mining business globally while focusing on other off-road self-driving markets.
2025 — Expansion into construction automation
- ASI launch ASI constructionaims to automate heavy construction equipment to address global labor shortages.
Customer success stories
Can you tell us about specific customer success stories? Mr. Tory emphasized:
“I loved the stories of gratitude shared by families who no longer had to fly to a mining camp to drive equipment, but were now able to stay in Perth, 1300 miles away from the mine site, operate equipment remotely and return to their families at night.”
Differentiation from competitors
What differentiates the company from its competitors? Tory asserted:
- 100 year vision. It is not exit driven. 25 more years, 75 more years.
- First of all, people. A vision to make ASI a place people want to work, even if they don’t have to financially. We made our employees the owners and made decisions that were consistent with the people.
- A technology platform that enables rapid development of new applications. We have automated over 100 different vehicles for every conceivable outdoor industrial application.
- Mobius is a production systems optimization software that enables remote orchestration and monitoring of hundreds of vehicles at a single site from anywhere in the world.
future company goals
What are the company’s future goals? Tory emphasized
“First, financial independence for our employees and fellow executives. Second, 100% of our employees will tell you that ASI has fulfilled our mission as a workforce robotics company, and we can honestly say that we have helped them reach their potential more than any other career opportunity. And finally, the introduction of industrial physics AI, which leads the world in market revenue share.”
additional thoughts
Are there any other topics you would like to discuss? Tory concluded:
“Culture is very important at ASI and is one of my top priorities.”
