CLAAS, AgXeed and Amazone are working together to develop autonomous agricultural machinery

Agriculture is facing the challenge of a shortage of skilled labor in many regions of the world. This stimulates the search for new technologies that can improve the efficiency and quality of field work, freeing up people to perform more complex tasks. One of the areas of such technologies is highly automated and autonomous agricultural machinery that can work directly in the field without constant control by the operator.

However, achieving this level of automation requires close cooperation between manufacturers of tractors, field robots, and implements. That's why three leading companies in the field - CLAAS, AgXeed and Amazone - have joined forces to create the first multi-manufacturer autonomy group - 3A - ADVANCED AUTOMATION & AUTONOMY. The group aims to accelerate the development, standardization and market launch of semi- and fully autonomous tractor-implement combinations by leveraging the combined experience and expertise of its members. The group also advocates the inclusion of other agricultural technology manufacturers in its partnership.

The first step in the 3A collaboration is the development of software for designing and implementing autonomous field robots. This software allows users to plan, optimize and control the operation of the tractor-implement using a standardized ISOBUS interface. Through this interface, implements can communicate with AgXeed AgBot field robots and CLAAS tractors for automated or autonomous process optimization. The level of control can be adapted to the needs and availability of the equipment - from highly automated to fully autonomous.

The second step is to develop specific solutions for agricultural practice. Among them are Amazone AutoTill for mulching cultivators and CLAAS Autonomy connect for tillage. These solutions allow the user not only to plan the optimal route for the combination of machines, but also to customize its parameters depending on the working conditions. For example, the system can automatically adjust the working depth and speed of the cultivator to prevent clogging. The system can also determine the starting and ending point of fertilization, headlands, and machine control in a particular area. All this ensures high quality work and energy efficiency. Meanwhile, the Bas.ua website offers to view the available spare parts for Claas agricultural machinery.

The 3A Group believes that its partnership is an important step in the development of autonomous agricultural technology that can bring many benefits to farmers and contractors. In particular, it can help to:

- Reduce dependence on the availability of skilled labor, especially during peak periods.
- Free up farmers and operators to perform other important tasks.
- Improve the efficiency and quality of field work through optimal planning and configuration of the machine combination.
- Reduce production costs by reducing fuel and fertilizer consumption.
- Increase flexibility and adaptability to changing working conditions.