Apex.AI, developer of certified autonomy software, has announced a joint product development project with agricultural manufacturers Krone and Lemken. Together they will commercialize the 'Combined Powers' autonomous farming concept vehicle using Apex's SDK products Apex.Grace and Apex.Ida.
The prototype vehicle from Krone and Lemken can plow, cultivate, sow, mow, turn and swath autonomously. By leveraging Apex.AI's software, the partners aim to transition Combined Powers from prototype to series production.
The commercial vehicle promises to save farmers time while maintaining work quality, addressing agriculture's skilled labor shortage. Automation and robotics are increasingly assisting with livestock and field duties.
Combined Powers' architecture is based on the Robot Operating System (ROS). Apex.AI's ROS-compatible products add certified safety for commercial use. Existing prototype data can be directly integrated for development, making Apex.AI an ideal core software component.
Apex.AI CEO Jan Becker stated, "Our development environment is the perfect basis for Krone's and Lemken's carrier vehicles. We look forward to familiarizing their teams with our software's capabilities and evaluating it during implementation."
Krone developer Manuel Volk said, "With Apex.AI, we see the opportunity to move from a ROS-based development solution to a series solution using Apex.Grace and implementing secure functions."
Apex.AI specializes in autonomous vehicle operating systems and robotics/AI. Its agile software development kit accelerates development speed for custom applications. Apex.AI already partners with automotive and ag companies like AGCO and Toyota.
Combined Powers represents a pioneering effort to bring autonomous farming into commercial reality. With Apex.AI's certified software expertise complementing Krone's and Lemken's agricultural innovations, the promise of smart, driverless agricultural machinery could soon be realized. This would profoundly impact farming productivity, efficiency and safety.
