Kverneland and Dutch autonomy solutions provider, AgXeed, have set the first world record for autonomous ploughing. The 24-hour autonomous ploughing challenge was carried out in North Yorkshire, UK, and achieved an output of 20.8ha (51.37ac) using a driverless AgBot 5.115T2, pulling a five-furrow Kverneland LO 300/85 plough.

Working on-land at furrow widths of 40cm (16in) and at a depth of 22.5cm (9in) to prepare land for maize and fodder beet, the 156hp rubber-tracked autonomous AgBot operated at forward speeds from 5.6km/h up to 8km/h.

Telemetry from the AgBot noted that fuel consumption from the diesel-electric powertrain totalled 382.72l over the 24-hour period, delivering a fuel efficiency figure of 18.4l/ha. With multi-layer security systems built into the AgBot for operational safety, the 7t autonomous tractor was equipped with a 1.5t front weight and the fully mounted, five-furrow Kverneland LO plough using No.28 bodies. AgXeed representatives mapped the field boundary and created a job map complete with headland turns sequence. The AgBot was momentarily stopped during the night, to top-up its 375l fuel tank to complete the 24-hour work period.