Robotic mowers are at a very interesting point in their simulated life.

Anecdotally, talking to various dealers recently, there seems to be a real spread of feelings about them.

There will be some dealers who feel they are just not for them, or more specifically not for their customers.

Others who do a bit with them, who would like to do more, and are looking for ways to up their volumes.

And others still who are complete advocates of the technology, who are doing a thriving trade in the machines.

Clearly the manufacturers have the utmost confidence in robots, which they are now beginning to seriously target at not just the high-end domestic market, but increasingly the commercial sector also. Parks, golf clubs, municipal green spaces are all being cited as potentially perfect areas on which to set a robot, or team of robots, about their business.

One of the key elements in this confidence which the manufacturers have in robotic mowing, is that they know they will have barely scraped the surface yet in what the technology can potentially be capable of. Yes, I imagine all the brands will be happy that their offerings have got the vital element right and can do a great job of cutting the grass effectively. It's the bells and whistles beyond that, which will push the machines further into mainstream acceptance - the way they've been embraced in countries like Germany and Sweden.

I attended a very interesting event on robotic mowing at Husqvarna's premises in Newton Aycliffe yesterday. The headline announcement was that from September this year owners of both an Automower and an Amazon voice control hub featuring the Alexa system, will be able to combine the two.

Initially users from inside their house will be able to ask Alexa to get their Automower to start, stop, pause and give them status updates.

However, the tech people behind the scenes are working on way more advanced features. We were treated to a demo yesterday of a prototype where the Alexa technology could be built into the mower itself. Users could then talk directly to the Automower when they are out in the garden to send it on its way or to tell it to stop or to give out mowing information.

Beyond that still, Husqvarna's Dr. Petra Sundström, who's their Director of Idea and Innovation Management, is looking ahead to a time when cameras could potentially be fitted to the mowers. Wherever an owner was in the world they could then in theory be able to log in via their phone, and see what their mower sees.

This then could then be taken even further where the unit cutting your grass becomes a sort of 'garden hub' which via sensors could monitor a garden's plants, its watering needs, fertilisation requirements, it could act as a security feature, as a line-marker for sports, or simply to bring WiFi into the outdoors. The possibilities are pretty mind blowing.

'Smart living' as it's termed, with many features around the home controlled by one central voice-activated hub, is apparently set to triple in popularity by 2022. The U.S has embraced this philosophy quicker than the rest of world, but experts believe it's only going to become more commonplace everywhere.

We were told yesterday that presently there isn't that much smart living technology specifically designed for the garden out there.

So it would seem then that dealers have the perfect opportunity to position themselves at the forefront of this exciting future. Why shouldn’t the specialists in the equipment which we’ve historically used in the outdoor space, make themselves the experts in this future outdoor smart living world?