Bobcat has announced a new autonomous mowing system.
The company is also announcing the advancement of its autonomous technology and operations through a strategic investment in Greenzie, an autonomous software company for commercial lawn mowers and outdoor power equipment.
“Innovation is part of the Bobcat DNA," said Joel Honeyman, VP of global innovation for Bobcat Company. "We invented the compact equipment industry more than 60 years ago, and we continue to re-imagine the future of the industry today. Through this investment with Greenzie, we can accelerate our development of operator-assisted and automated solutions to help our customers be more productive on the job site or their backyard.”
The collaboration supports Bobcat’s introduction of its new autonomous, zero-turn mower, which will have a limited launch in late 2023. More details will be forthcoming, according the company.
Designed to operate with software developed by Greenzie, the Bobcat autonomous mower has a ride-and-repeat feature, where operators can plot a course and mark areas for the mower to avoid during autonomous operations. Able to detect objects, known or unknown, the zero-turn mower travels its prescribed path while the operator can take on other tasks and maximize their job site efficiency. The machine utilizes mapping to execute an exact route that can be repeated; all of which can be managed or edited on a simple smartphone app.
Through this investment, Bobcat and Greenzie will join forces to accelerate Bobcat’s development of the autonomous capabilities and solutions across its product line-up.
"We are thrilled to close our largest investment round to date with a strategic investment by an industry leader like Bobcat," said Charles Brian Quinn, co-founder and CEO of Greenzie. "Our customers are desperate for solutions that help them overcome their biggest challenge: labor shortages. Our software helps crews be more productive, and will run on reliable, rugged Bobcat equipment they trust."
Source: Bobcat
