Autonomous technology is transforming industries—and farming is no exception.

.

From food security to greater environmental awareness, there are many factors increasing the demand for enhanced productivity and efficiency in agriculture. Smart farming, defined as the modern use of information and communication technologies in agriculture, is one answer to these challenges.

.

As we look to the future, smart farming will include the use of autonomous agricultural vehicles, including tractors and other machinery, to help farmers produce more food, more sustainably, from the same amount of land. To achieve this goal, farmers and researchers from around the world are developing standards and specifications using the latest autonomous technologies and infrastructure to make farming more holistic, sustainable, and efficient.

.

We sat down with Johannes Lehmann, Head of Business Development, Smart Farming at the German Institute for Standardization (DIN), to discuss the autonomous agricultural machinery market, key drivers and barriers to adoption, and how autonomous technology can benefit farmers and society.

.

SAE EDGE™ Research Reports provide examinations into hot topics facing the mobility industry today. Read the abstract for the joint SAE/DIN report Lehmann co-authored and discussed on this episode –Autonomous Field Robotics – and subscribe to Mobilus to stay in the know.

.

We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform.

.

Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.