Tractors
THE TRACTOR OF THE FUTURE?
A
jury judges of course, and also assesses and analyses. This is the work being undertaken by the 26 journalists who are experts in agricultural mechanisation and who will have to assign the Tractor of the Year (TotY) award to the best European tractor. All the details and innovations provided by the main European vehicle manufacturers are being studied and the jury's analysis is forming the identikit of the perfect tractor: a vehicle which, given its characteristics, might be imagined as some way off, but which, on the contrary, many operators have already turned into a reality. Data connectivity and digitalization Connectivity means the possibility of transferring significant quantities of data
30 Gulf Agriculture | www.gulfagriculture.com
quickly and in a standard way; better control over the data will mean a better outcome and of course higher efficiency. Today, thanks to the growth in digital technologies, we have access to data which brings together environmental, climatic, and land-related factors. This allows farmers to intervene in a targeted way, making work processes more effective, complying with the due timeframes. The software systems installed on machines in the field return data with which it is possible to track and certify produce from the field through to the processing industry. Connectivity will be a valuable support also for the technical management of machines, forecasting their wear and tear for example and so planning the necessary
maintenance, and hence a costsaving process. Safety There is also a focus on safety as well as on comfort for the driver, through details which are essential for people working in difficult environments. These details are connected to digital mapping of the environment, climate, and type of terrain. Data on which the perfect machine will have to be capable of providing a response in real time, to protect the well-being of the driver. So, a simple unforeseen summer storm can be anticipated by the direct satellite connection to the cabin, thus changing the work schedule. In the same way climate change, through digital information, will show us other useful information, such as the
November-December 2020
