An advanced guidance system developed for New Holland T4 FNV specialty tractors has won a Technical Innovation award in the scheme run in advance of November’s EIMA International farm machinery exhibition. 

Developed to help address the lack of skilled operators faced by many specialty crop producers, and ease the workloads of such growers and their staff, Advanced Vision Assisted Guidance is LiDAR-based, and manages steering movements both in the rows and at row ends, in addition to rear implement control. As a result, say the manufacturer, it is effective in situations where GPS-based systems are not a solution. They say benefits include increased safety and comfort from reduced operator fatigue, enabling closer attention to be given to machine operation. 

New Holland says the system is based purely on LIDAR sensor technology, using simultaneous localisation and mapping algorithms, and with no GPS element there is no risk of errors and incidents resulting from any loss of GPS signal caused by factors such as canopy coverage, netting, nearby greenhouses, or valley slopes. It is also able to recognise row ends and incorporates a path planner to perform headland turns, with different path shapes available. A collision check mechanism means that if the headland does not have the required characteristics, the system will advise the operator, avoiding possible collisions with trees/plants or other objects.

Carlo Lambro, brand president of New Holland said: "We are honoured to receive this EIMA Technical Innovation award for a development which represents a clear step toward further automation of integrated tractors and implements to support our farmers. It underlines our commitment to investing in and advancing automation technology, and our continuous efforts in research and development, aimed at supporting farmers’ everyday work."