Imagine if you could have a machine that mowed your lawn for you. Think about it: you would no longer have to try to fit mowing into your busy schedule. You could relax and watch a show, play with your kids, travel, or do whatever else you needed to do on the weekend, and your lawn would still be mowed. In fact, the yard could get mowed during a workday, a time typically off-limits for you to focus on lawn care.
In an ideal world, the machine would even know when it’s time to mow without you telling it. It would know how to mow based on rainfall levels and being able to sense the current height of the grass. And of course, it would avoid any nightmare scenario of trying to mow your garage or running away down the street.
Though it may seem like wishful thinking, the truth is that such technology already exists. Automated lawn mowers, in fact, are extremely successful, and they are only getting better. In Europe (especially the UK, Germany, and Sweden), sales are skyrocketing, and customers rave about the results.
Why, then, do we not see more robotic lawn mowers in the U.S.? Will we soon? Are we on the precipice of a boom in robotic lawn care? Or are these machines, as impressive and helpful as they are, going to become a the next Segway, popular in other parts of the world but never quite catching on in America?
Let’s explore this issue in more depth.
Why Are Robotic Mowers not Already Mainstream in America?
You would think that a machine that can reliably take a major chore off of our hands (and likely do it even better) would be immensely popular in the U.S. However, four main challenges currently stand in the way in the American market:
- Installation seems challenging: In the earliest days of robotic lawn care, a technician needed to come out and lay down wire to create a barrier. However, as the technology progresses (more on that below), many of these pain points are disappearing.
- The cost: Of course, what happens with new technology is that the latest and most innovative products are expensive. Such is the case with robotic lawn mowers. At present, the most modern pieces are still quite expensive.
- Many Americans simply do not know about robot lawn mowers: Part of the reason that autonomous mowing has soared in Europe is because some countries have started to restrict gas-powered mowers, as they hurt the environment. Once citizens could see what these incredible robot mowers could do, demand rose. The state of California will be implementing similar restrictions on gasoline mowers soon, which could be the tipping point in the U.S. market for robotic replacements.
- People are unaware of the benefits: Similarly, the majority of Americans do not know all of the advantages that robotic mowers have over traditional lawnmowers, besides the obvious one of a machine taking care of your yard for you. Actually, the benefits extend far beyond that. The EPA cites gas-powered lawn care equipment as one of the greatest non-car threats to our environment. Autonomous mowing is much more eco-friendly. A robotic lawn mower also leads to a healthier lawn than a traditional mower. Finally, autonomous mowing is much safer than traditional mowing. Kids and dogs can be near the mower with virtually no risk. Indeed, to date, no one has ever been injured by a robotic mower.
If you are curious to learn more about robotic mowing, contact Autmow to learn more. We will be happy to answer all your questions and help you decide which robotic mower is best for your needs.
What We Can Expect in the Future From Robotic Lawn Mowers
We have a video and blog dedicated to exciting developments in robotic mowing in 2023. However, here is a quick rundown of some of our expectations:
Wireless install capabilities—Each company that produces robotic mowers is perfecting new ways to teach the mower your property boundaries. Some use cameras and some use satellites/cell towers. Either way, the days of needing wire boundaries are quickly fading. And very soon, the mowers should be able to map out your property without you needing to do much at all to direct the process.
Artificial Intelligence—Of course, AI is part of the technology that allows robotic mowers to create the map of your property. But AI is also responsible for many more impressive innovations. For example, some modern mowers can connect to weather reports. Then they can decide an ideal mowing regimen (which is part of the reason why robotic mowing leads to healthier lawns.) As the technology advances, mowing your lawn will become more and more hands-off for you.
Lower prices—More and more robotic mowers are expected to hit the market in the U.S. That means more options for the consumer. Plus, the technology will be more effective and need less research and development. Put those two facts together, and you get lower prices.
The Future of Commercial Robotic Lawn Mowers
Of course, lawn mowing is not just for the individual household. Businesses need grass cutting and often, they have far larger spaces to mow. Similarly, city governments have parks that need a lot of upkeep. Robotic lawn mowers may well be the solution for both!
More and more landscaping companies are embracing robotic lawn mowers. Kris Kiser, president of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, notes two main reasons for this shift. First, landscaping professionals are facing a labor shortage similar to other industries. Robotic mowers provide the help they need. Ultimately, they should give a better ROI than continually paying a human worker to maintain the same space. The second reason that robotic lawn mowers are perfect for commercial spaces is because they are quiet and don’t emit exhaust. Most clients prefer a cleaner and quieter mowing experience.
If you are looking for a commercial robotic lawn mower, our team can help. Reach out to the commercial experts at Autmow so we can help you find the perfect robotic lawn care solution for your needs.
It is no wonder that the robotic lawn mower market is predicted to grow almost 4x by 2029. Humans have always looked to machines to automate some of our most mundane tasks. Complex math calculations are solved much more quickly by a calculator. A computer’s search function finds a word much faster than us trying to scan a page.
Well, now we can add mowing the lawn to the list of tasks that machines can do more efficiently than humans. The technology is ready. People are going to see the value quickly, and the trend will sweep the country sooner rather than later.
And at that point, old gas-powered mowers will seem as outdated as outdated as the antique manual cutting machines used in the 1800s. So are robotic lawn mowers the way of the future? The answer is almost surely yes. A better question may actually be “how soon?”