Emmetts Blog

The Future is Driverless

A driverless tractor will be launched in the not too distant future.  John Deere is already testing autonomous tractors, with one protoype in their East Moline showroom. Each industry is working to apply autonomous drive technology to their desired application, from the automotive industry, to mining and agriculture.

A wired article in 2012 shows that autonomous cars were already driving on the roads four years ago.

In 2015 Rio Tinto began using driverless trucks to move all iron ore at Rio Tino's Pilbara mine, a world first. Each truck saves an estimated 500 work hours a year, provides consistency to the mining operation that a human does not, while increasing safety on site. These points all contribute to profitability for the organisation.

Agriculture will be no different to mining, seeking to capture the benefit of reduced man hours.  Removing the majority of a primary producers tractor driving hours from the work schedule will revolutionize the job, and the life of business operators. Below are some photos from the East Moline John Deere Showroom.

autonomous_tractors_3.jpgAutonomous_tractors_1.jpg

Autonomous_tractors_2.jpg

 

http://www.wired.com/2012/01/ff_autonomouscars/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-18/rio-tinto-opens-worlds-first-automated-mine/6863814

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topics: Local Community, Technology, Broadacre Cropping

Subscribe to Email Updates