Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 6250 |
| Work Detail | In collaboration with a global agricultural technology giant, Petersboro-based robotics company Autonomous Solutions has unveiled a concept line of tractors designed to streamline farming. ASI recently announced in a news release that it worked with London-based CNH Industrial to develop a concept cab-less Case IH Magnum and a concept New Holland T8 tractors that can seed and plant for broad-acre and row-crop farming, as well as detect obstacles on the farm. The concept designs — not yet approved for public use — build on farming technology ASI created back in 2000, the year the Utah State University spinout was founded, according to Matt Nielsen, corporate communications manager for ASI. “This is a more mature form of the technology,” Nielsen said. “There’s a lot more features built in; it incorporates different systems and is safer as well.” Nielsen said the concept tractors “open up a whole new way” that farmers would be able to tend to their fields and would cut down on the challenge of rising labor costs for agriculture operations. New software will allow farmers to better plan their fields, and they could set up the autonomous tractors so that they have the remotely-controlled equipment riding alongside manned-tractors. “They could do tilling and seeding at the same time,” Nielsen said. “It also frees (farmers) up to where they have autonomous tractors running in fields so they can attend to other duties.” The concept tractors were designed by officials from both ASI and CNH who have decades of farming experience, Nielsen said. Nielsen emphasized the concept tractors are not available for farmers to buy. There aren’t any plans to commercialize them in the near future, and Nielsen declined to speculate on when the equipment might be available to the public. “Commercialization would be contingent on technology and regulations,” Nielsen said. “There still needs to be litigation figured out around safety of the vehicles. All autonomous vehicles are being held up by that.” In a ASI news release, officials from both CNH and ASL praised the unveiling of the concept tractors, which are currently at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. “ASI is the industry-leading developer of autonomous solutions in the off-road vehicle segment and the natural choice to be one of CNH Industrial’s key technology providers,” said Richard Tobin, CEO of CNH Industrial. “CNH Industrial has had a long and successful relationship with ASI and we will continue to work together in developing advanced autonomous solutions for the future benefit of our global customers.” Mel Torrie, ASL founder and CEO, noted ASI’s 16 years of developing robotic, self-guided solutions to many sectors, including agriculture, and the company’s longstanding relationship with CNH. “Our relationship with CNH Industrial is vital in facilitating the near-term disruption of how farming is done,” Torrie said. “CNH Industrial’s selection of ASI as a long-term, strategic robotic development provider validates the capability and flexibility of our robotics platform.” |
| Country | United States , Northern America |
| Industry | Food & Agriculture |
| Entry Date | 15 Oct 2016 |
| Source | http://news.hjnews.com/agriculture/autonomous-solutions-unveils-concept-high-tech-tractors/article_96f0be96-1206-5485-a6a5-221b3156dcf1.html |
