Production versions of ‘autonomous’ tractors from Yanmar are due to hit the market shortly.
Advanced technology is central to the company’s new 2-Series models. These units have been dubbed ‘Robot Tractors’ by the manufacturer.
The new autonomous-driving ‘Robot Tractors’ are designed to “enhance farm management efficiency”. In addition to unmanned tractors, Yanmar is also introducing a line-up of so-called ‘Auto Tractors’ – designed to operate with “minimal human operation”.
The Yanmar YT5113A ‘Robot Tractor’
At the heart of the new tractors is Yanmar’s ICT (Information and Communications Technology). Yanmar says that by supporting farm management with integrated control, based on information from sensor networks, ICT promotes “greater production efficiency”.
The company plans to sell more than 100 autonomous tractors each year.
There are two modes of autonomous operation. In addition to advancing forward, ‘Auto Mode’ allows the tractor to automatically drive in reverse, stop and execute turns.
In ‘Linear Mode’, while certain driving manoeuvres such as turning are performed by ‘hand’, the tractor can travel back and forth on its own when cultivating land.
Switching between these two modes is possible in the 2-Series.
Controlled via a tablet
Operation and settings are controlled via a 10in tablet. This approach, says Yanmar, allows one person to operate two tractors – as the tablet in the manned tractor can be used to operate the unmanned tractor side-by-side.
Because the positioning system is based on RTK signals – using two from global navigation satellites (GNSS) and a base station, it can provide information with “pinpoint accuracy”.
For peace of mind for those in the proximity of a ‘Robot Tractor’, which is capable of unmanned driving and operation under the surveillance of an operator, there are “numerous sensors and safety lights”. Also, the user can perform an ’emergency stop’ from the control tablet.
