TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2022, THE NEW TRACTOR AND THE NEW INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

 TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2022, THE NEW TRACTOR AND THE NEW INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

John Deere introduces an autonomous tractor.

I have followed the “autonomous” vehicle news for some time.  Even ten plus years ago as I taught, we discussed the implications of self-driving vehicles (cut down on insurance, better for seniors, avoid drunk drivers, and more).  The cameras, software, sensors are ready.  

The autonomous plans include trucks.  Can you imagine the long-haul, over-the-truckers with an autonomous vehicle? 

[Aside I live two blocks from Interstate 35 - which goes from Duluth Minnesota to the US/Mexican border at Laredo.  There are trucks on that road day and night - moving goods around the USA.  There are great truck drivers who put in long hours to deliver the goods safely.  And, unfortunately, there are still accidents from drivers who are tired, from conditions that might be changing. Likewise, I’ve driven across the midwest with truckers going all directions.]

Now at the CES - Consumer Electronic Show 2022, John Deere is introducing an autonomous tractor.    How John Deere created its autonomous tractor | VentureBeat

“The system uses six pairs of stereo cameras combined with GPS guidance to drive a Deere 8R tractor with a chisel plow and the capability to tow other equipment. A farmer can put the tractor to work with a swipe of a smartphone app and then walk away to spend time with family or attend to other business, using the app to monitor the tractor’s progress plowing a field or performing some other task — and to receive alerts of anomalies the software doesn’t know how to handle. While it’s working, the tractor can also gather data about the health of crops in the field, the health and moisture content of the soil, and other metrics.”

“Jahmy J. Hindman, chief technology officer for Deere & Company, celebrated the announcement as a milestone for farm productivity. “Until recently, agriculture has always been about doing more with more — more horsepower, more inputs, more acres — but the new digital era is changing all that. The last decade has been about doing more with less and providing farmers with additional tools to make more informed decisions,” he said.”

Now, tractors are different than cars - largely in their environment.  Tractors operate in fields with dirt, maybe with mud, maybe with stray cows (or other animals), They generally don’t have tractors in front or behind them (like cars would).  

These autonomous tractors interface with an app on a farmer’s phone or computer.  Seemingly they are programming to stop if something out of the ordinary happens.  Like “Gee Boss, I don’t what to do with this, so I stopped” - and show the images to the farmer.  Maybe a recent heavy rain washed out part of a field.  Stop and let the farmer figure out what to do.

Now, at least in theory, an autonomous tractor could work 24 hours a day. An article I read suggested it would need to refuel periodically.  So, a farmer needs to get a field plowed ahead of a weather front, or needs to get crops harvested ahead of a snowfall, let it roll!! I’ve seen farmers harvesting with lights way after dark in order to get the crop in.  

Maybe it is calving season, a farmer could be helping deliver calves while the tractor is planting the corn.

Another source added:

“Deere & Company introduced the world's first autonomous tractor Tuesday, a technology breakthrough that could help farmers cope with a worsening skilled labor shortage.

“Why it matters: Farmers are getting older — 55 years old on average — and with more than 80% of the U.S. population residing in urban areas, there aren't enough laborers to do the work or operate machinery.”

“While it’s working, the tractor can also gather data about the health of crops in the field, the health and moisture content of the soil, and other metrics.”  For farmers in areas where irrigation is used, monitoring moisture content can also save time and money.  If a field is wet in spots and dry in others that information can be used to pinpoint irrigation.

How about some problems with corn-borers (or other pests), the health of the crops can also be analyzed before a farmer loses an entire crop.

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Yes, this is going to be expensive now.  But, over the years, farm equipment has gotten more expensive as farmers do more with less available labor.  In theory, a person in good physical condition could keep farming into their 80s.  Just drive the tractor to the field, program the appropriate activities, and press “start”.  

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Looking ahead 20 years, one farm with multiple autonomous tractors and appropriate artificial intelligent robots could produce more crops with less human interaction.  

Then with intelligent trucks coming alongside corn pickers could take the products to the grain elevator, and get it shipped around the world.  

The days of the small farmer having his/her 160 acres and working hard to keep up are coming to an end.  

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There are those who say “WOW - this will be fantastic”, and those who say “This will be the death of agriculture”.  Likewise, as we have more autonomous vehicles, more robots, more artificial intelligence, that some say “This will be fantastic”, and others say “People will no longer be needed or have value”.

At the time of the industrial revolution in England, a group called the Luddites fought against the tide of innovations.

TOMORROW - MORE

Karen White

January 11, 2022