Due to the ever-increasing world population, food supplies are becoming more strained. This has created the scenario that farmers have to increase their output and tackle increasing input costs while also remaining profitable.
On top of all that, farm land is becoming more scarce due to urbanisation as too is skilled labour. Last year 30% of the berry harvest in California wasn’t harvested because of the lack of workers. These problems have fuelled the idea of autonomous tractors as they remove the need for a driver. They also increase accuracy which reduces input costs while also utilising more of the field, increasing outputs.
The idea of autonomous tractors has been around since 1940. Frank W Andrew’s autonomous tractor used a barrel or fixed wheel in the centre of the field which would wind a cable around it that was attached to a steering arm on the front of the tractor, which in turn pulled it in closer after every revolution. The biggest advance in driverless technology came in 1994 when engineers at the Silsoh Research Institute in the UK developed the picture analysis system to guide a small autonomous tractor for vegetable and root crops.
Technology
In the 1980s the introduction of precision agriculture allowed farmers to drive their tractors with GPS devices and on-board computers. The next step was semi-automated tractors, which had drivers.
Fully autonomous tractors emerged in 2011-2012. These were initially designed to follow a lead tractor with a driver known as follow-me technology. This would allow one driver to do twice as much work. This system works by using wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication to exchange information. The lead tractor with the driver determines the speed and direction which is then transmitted to the other tractor to imitate.
Fully autonomous tractors use lasers that bounce signals off several mobile transponders around the field in order to navigate. To deal with line of sight issues such as trees, the lasers are used in conjunction with radios to transmit the information. People can now supervise multiple tractors on multiple fields from one location.
Another technology used in autonomous tractors involves using the tractor’s native electrical (or CAN bus) system to send it commands. This system uses GPS, radio feedback and software to manage the tractor’s path and control implements. A radio receiver and on-board computer are generally used to receive commands from the remote command station and translate it into commands such as steering, acceleration, braking, transmission, and implement control. Technologies such as lidar (light imaging, detection and ranging) detect unforeseen obstacles such as poles or trees.
The idea of creating a driverless tractor is controversial in terms of safety and public acceptance. Modern autonomous tractors use many different systems to ensure their safe operation such as motion detection, where the tractors have sensors to stop them if they detect objects in their path. Lidar and on-board video cameras enable the tractor to sense stationary or moving obstacles in its path and allow it to stop by its own accord, and not resume moving until the operator assigns a new path. The tractor will also stop immediately if GPS signal or position data is lost, or if the manual stop button is pushed by the controller.
John Deere
John Deere launched its ITEC Pro guidance product in 2008, a system based on GPS that automates vehicle functions including headland turns. The tractor is fitted with two 6in dome antennas that receive signals from a GPS satellite which tell it to follow a previously programmed route. The antennas can also be used by the operator to control the tractor.
Autonomous Tractor Corporation
In January 2012, American Terry Anderson established Autonomous Tractor Corporation (ATC) in North Dakota. Anderson unveiled the SPIRIT autonomous tractor at the Big Iron Farm show in September 2012. This tractor was initially made to follow a main tractor using follow-me technology, but a fully autonomous version is being developed.
CNH
The ACV (Autonomous Concept Vehicle) was unveiled by CNH at the Farm Progress Show in Iowa in August. This concept vehicle is based on a cabless Case IH Magnum with re-imagined styling that can operate autonomously with a wide range of field implements. The ACV was recently awarded a silver medal in the Innovation Awards scheme of SIMA, the French international farm machinery exhibition. The ACV uses a combination of lidar, on-board video and radar to function and avoid obstacles.
Summary
Will autonomous tractors become the future of farming? That depends on price, labour availability, food production demands and commodity prices as well as the technological infrastructure available. One can only assume that with the advances in technology we have seen in the past decade, in the future we will have some form of autonomous tractors roaming the Irish countryside.
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