Husqvarna has been making robotic mowers for 20 years now and the qualities they feature reflect that.Photo: Husqvarna
While it may look like something someone stole from the backyard of Wayne Manor, Husqvarna’s Automower 220AC is not intentionally designed to look like one of Batman’s gadgets.
Robotic mowing is something that is still being scoffed at in some quarters, but Husqvarna has been working in this area since 1995 and the features their machine offers reflect those years of R&D.
Capable of mowing up to half an acre, even in the rain, Automower 220AC is designed for customers who never want to have to hear or think about tending the lawn. This robotic mower is quiet, producing only 60 decibels of sound.
Once the boundary wires are installed, the Automower will charge itself and cut with a mind of its own, selecting irregular pathways so that mowing lines are eliminated. If its batteries are low before the job is done, it will find its way back to the charging station and then return to finish the job.
One thing that the Automower offers some is the ability to trim slopes that other mowers can’t handle.Photo: Husqvarna
Because it is constantly trimming the grass, cleaning up lawn clippings becomes a chore of the past as well. Its blades are made of carbon steel and are mounted on a cutting disc system. The Automower can handle slopes up to about 20 degrees.
The machine also boasts of safety and theft prevention. For example, it will reverse and go in a different direction should it bump into something like a curious pet. Without a personal identification number or PIN, the Automower cannot be used and it automatically shuts off if it is lifted from the ground or flipped over.
Still, the price tag may prompt most people to leave the Automower for the Prince of Gotham to enjoy. Husqvarna’s suggested retail price is $2,399.95 – so no need to fret about the rise of the machines just yet.
Landscapers are always going to have some things that robots don’t. Experience comes to mind. There are just some jobs that can’t be accomplished by a program.
