AEM, OPEI and The Ray Partner on Robotic Mower Project
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) are partnering with The Ray – an Atlanta-based nonprofit focused on the future of transportation – on the Robotic Mower Project.
For the project, The Ray will experience and analyze the performance, safety attributes and reliability of robotic mowers on the grassed areas of an interstate rest area. Through the project, The Ray will evaluate the equipment for possible deployment on the roadsides of state highways and interstates in Georgia, acting as a pilot project for other states nationwide, alongside the Missouri DOT and Texas DOT.
The project’s results are aimed at highlighting the benefits of investing in and deploying roadside robotic equipment, including:
- Reducing fuel costs;
- Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; and
- Re-nutrienting soil.
AEM partnered with OPEI to bring together manufacturers meeting the mower specifications for the project. This past May, Allie Kelly, executive director of The Ray, discussed the project in greater detail with several manufacturers who expressed interest in the project.
“Removing the operator from the roadside removes the risk, not only for the operator but also for those traveling the roadway,” The Ray reports.
AEM and OPEI members have continued to collaborate with The Ray and discuss their participation in the project.
AEM
www.aem.org
THE RAY
www.theray.org
OPEI
www.opei.org
