Tractors Driver-less Tractors

Kyle M

Kyle M

Farm Hand
Messages
43
It was bound to happen. John Deere is leading the way and quarterly business reports focusing on this part of the farming industry are not far behind.

What are your thoughts on this?
 
Digger

Digger

Golden Chicken
Messages
116
My thoughts? I trust them even less than I trust self-driving cars. One of the best ways to manage your crops, is to actually get out there with them. My tractor is high up and it allows me to observe some key things that I'd miss otherwise. Too much technology takes the joy out of farming, in my opinion.
 
Smarty Plants

Smarty Plants

Farm Hand
Messages
82
It's not something I'd ever care to own, but then again, I don't think it's being created for farmers like me. I bet it's designed for the larger, highly commercialized operations.
 
Jack L

Jack L

Farm Hand
Messages
67
If the corporate owned farms want them, let them. At least with tractors you don't have to worry about them hitting and killing people.
 
greg

greg

Farm Hand
Messages
98
As farmers, it is understandable when we become pessimistic or cautious about new technology. The discussion about autonomous and semi-autonomous machines has been around, but I think such tech target higher-value crops like vineyards, fresh produce and tree nuts.
 
Andrew T

Andrew T

Farm Hand
Messages
51
Technology has come so far over the past few decades, but I'm not sure I would trust a self-driving tractor! They will probably be most useful to corporate farmers. Sometimes I think we rely too much on technology and that we should be trying to simplify things instead.
 
Kathy

Kathy

Farm Hand
Messages
45
Maybe I'm just too old-fashioned, but I can't imagine not driving a tractor! Driverless tractors sound a little scary. What if they go off-course or start malfunctioning in other ways?
 
jack

jack

Farm Hand
Messages
92
When a friend mentioned this a few months ago, I brushed it off as a rumour. Technology evolves quickly, but I don't think driverless-tractors could soon become a reality. Perhaps with time, driverless-tractors will be more advanced.
 
greg

greg

Farm Hand
Messages
98
Maybe I'm just too old-fashioned, but I can't imagine not driving a tractor! Driverless tractors sound a little scary. What if they go off-course or start malfunctioning in other ways?
When I read the initial post, I also had the same thoughts. I don't see how a tractor can be fully autonomous; at some point, human input will be a requirement.
 
 
Top