Mobile machinery such as tractors, forage harvesters and combine harvesters are becoming increasingly autonomous, equipped with ever more intelligent assistance functions.
From November 12 to 18, the Systems & Components event within Agritechnica, the leading agricultural machinery exhibition, will focus on this trend as well as flexible concepts for the entire off-highway sector, ranging from intuitive manual operation to fully autonomous solutions. The modern assistance systems on display at Germany’s Hanover exhibition grounds cover not only agricultural solutions but also construction machinery, which is also being progressively automated.
Both assistance systems and fully or partial autonomous driving functions are playing an increasing role not only on the road, but also in the off-highway sector. Operators are looking for gains in safety, efficiency and comfort. The challenge is that mobile machines such as combine harvesters or loaders operate in a harsh and changing environment, where temperature, visibility, vibration, dirt and moisture must be taken into account, and the tasks that the machines perform require the operator’s utmost attention, even in challenging conditions. However, a look through Systems & Components shows that all the functionalities needed to meet this challenge, be it precise positioning, machine learning or driverless control systems, in combination with intelligent sensor technology, cloud-based networking and wireless machine-to-machine communication, have long been in use, both in agriculture and the construction industry.
Sensors for digital field of view expansion
Where an off-highway vehicle needs to detect its surroundings comprehensively and reliably, such as a precision harvesting or construction equipment excavating automatically, the type, number and arrangement of sensors is key. Real-time data is collected from the environment, providing information about the terrain, vehicles, people and other obstacles. A driver assistance or vehicle automation system then uses this data to control the movement of the machine and optimize the work process.
For an autonomously operating vehicle to be able to precisely perceive its surroundings, even in unfavorable light and weather conditions, a variety of sensors are needed. Their intelligent combination allows an accurate and reliable picture of the environment around the vehicle and thus creates the basis for more advanced assistance functions. Sensor fusion systems, where the same data is observed through multiple sensors and then combined, both spatially and temporally, are at the center of current development activities. Sophisticated algorithms provide reliable information, even under extreme environmental conditions, and this can be used, for example, to warn of objects in the way. The exhibitors at the Systems & Components trade fair are using this technology in many ways. One accessible example connects additional sensors, such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) in conjunction with ultrasound or radar, to a display panel via a gateway, and the object information is superimposed over the image from a standard or infrared camera, alerting the driver to a potential obstacle. The range of potential functions includes blind spot monitoring and maneuvering assistance.
Towards the intelligent harvester
At Systems & Components, agricultural and construction machinery manufacturers will be able to find building-block modules with which they can design their own assistance systems, tailored to their requirements. GPS and navigation systems provide exact position data with centimeter precision and enable vehicles to plan their route and reach their destination optimally, an important step on the way to the autonomous tractor. Automatic section control is another GPS application used on field sprayers or fertilizer spreaders that automatically turns individual implement sections on and off to prevent overlapping or off-field application of input materials.
LiDAR sensors can also play a useful role in environment detection, using a low-power laser to illuminate an object and a photo sensor to detect the reflection. The system calculates the distance to the object based on how long it takes for the laser beam to travel. The laser then scans many reflection points at different azimuth and elevation and the data is used to create a 3D map of the surroundings. Comparing the scan to a terrain model, for example, allows a construction machine to traverse that terrain semi-automatically. LiDAR is an enabling technology for numerous applications for mobile machines in agriculture that can offer efficiency gains in the field. For example, it can find the edge between cut and uncut wheat and automatically guide a combine harvester along the crop edge, or it can detect a windrow and automatically steer the tractor to optimally feed the mown crop into the baler.
Modular systems for networking and automation
Intelligent sensors and autonomous mobile machines are just two of the developments dominating engineering in the off-highway sector. Another trend that is also reflected in the supporting program of Systems & Components is modular solutions. There is great variety in working machines, which are often only produced in small quantities, so modular and flexible solutions are the only way to avoid that new requirements for individual sensors lead to a complete restructuring of the assistance, driving and automation functions.
