New Holland’s autonomous T4.110F tractor is about to start field trials with a major Californian vineyard
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New Holland says the collaborative pilot program is focused on gathering agronomic and operator feedback on the use of this technology in everyday vineyard activities, with the ultimate objective of delivering autonomous solutions that are driven by the real-world requirements of winegrowers.
The NHDrive autonomous solution made its Australian field days debut last year, being previewed on the T7 Heavy Duty and T8 tractor ranges. The new pilot program aims to demonstrate that New Holland’s autonomous solution is applicable to the brand’s entire range of tractors, from high-horsepower row-crop models all the way through to its specialty ranges.
New Holland agriculture brand president Carlo Lambro is optimistic about the collaboration with E&J Gallo Winery.
“Sustainability and innovation are in New Holland’s DNA; that’s how we help our customers to farm efficiently and profitably today – and anticipate the way their needs will change,” he says.
“We believe that specialty operations, and in particular those in the vineyard environment, could significantly benefit from the introduction of autonomous technology, in terms of productivity and sustainability.
“Our partner in the pilot program, E&J Gallo Winery, shares our commitment to innovation and sustainability in viticulture, as well as our objective of providing an autonomous solution that will benefit winegrowers around the world,” Lambro adds.
New Holland says further progress has been made in regards to integration of the various component parts – specifically the sensing and perception elements as well as signal receivers.
The pilot program – which will take place at E&J Gallo Winery’s California vineyard – will see the T4.110F perform a full range of vineyard maintenance and crop production tasks, designed to provide feedback, further developing these activities during autonomous operation.
“The data generated during the pilot will enrich the New Holland Autonomous Vehicle Program, providing real-world detail on the full range of possible automated and autonomous applications,” New Holland says.