Experimental Analysis of an Autonomous Driving Strategy for a Four-Wheel Differential Drive Agricultural Rover

Currently, the entire agricultural sector is under significant pressure. The causes that may explain this are different, such as climate change, market instability, and the decline in the population of agricultural workers. As a result, the agricultural tractor and machinery field is at the center o...

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Main Authors: Salvatore Martelli, Francesco Mocera
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Engineering Proceedings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4591/85/1/41
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author Salvatore Martelli
Francesco Mocera
author_facet Salvatore Martelli
Francesco Mocera
author_sort Salvatore Martelli
collection DOAJ
description Currently, the entire agricultural sector is under significant pressure. The causes that may explain this are different, such as climate change, market instability, and the decline in the population of agricultural workers. As a result, the agricultural tractor and machinery field is at the center of an intense technological revolution. One of the possible solutions to the aforementioned problems can be represented by agricultural vehicles equipped with autonomous driving systems. The key pillar of an autonomous driven vehicle is its autonomous driving algorithm which represents the link between the information coming from the vehicle’s sensor systems and the success of the vehicle’s operative mission. In this paper, an experimental assessment of the motion strategy for a four-wheel differential drive agricultural rover was conducted. This work is structured in three parts. First, the description of the working principles of the autonomous driving algorithm is proposed. Then, the case study and the scaled prototype designed for this purpose are described. In the end, the result obtained by the virtual model, which acts as reference case, is compared with the results that came out of the field test campaign. The outcomes show the overlap between the virtual and real results.
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spelling doaj-art-34486dc0257e47798f83e494f759d5f92025-08-20T03:27:28ZengMDPI AGEngineering Proceedings2673-45912025-03-018514110.3390/engproc2025085041Experimental Analysis of an Autonomous Driving Strategy for a Four-Wheel Differential Drive Agricultural RoverSalvatore Martelli0Francesco Mocera1DIMEAS—Dipartimento di Ingengeria Meccanica e Aerospazioale, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyDIMEAS—Dipartimento di Ingengeria Meccanica e Aerospazioale, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyCurrently, the entire agricultural sector is under significant pressure. The causes that may explain this are different, such as climate change, market instability, and the decline in the population of agricultural workers. As a result, the agricultural tractor and machinery field is at the center of an intense technological revolution. One of the possible solutions to the aforementioned problems can be represented by agricultural vehicles equipped with autonomous driving systems. The key pillar of an autonomous driven vehicle is its autonomous driving algorithm which represents the link between the information coming from the vehicle’s sensor systems and the success of the vehicle’s operative mission. In this paper, an experimental assessment of the motion strategy for a four-wheel differential drive agricultural rover was conducted. This work is structured in three parts. First, the description of the working principles of the autonomous driving algorithm is proposed. Then, the case study and the scaled prototype designed for this purpose are described. In the end, the result obtained by the virtual model, which acts as reference case, is compared with the results that came out of the field test campaign. The outcomes show the overlap between the virtual and real results.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4591/85/1/41autonomous drivingagricultural robotprecision farmingprototypefield test
spellingShingle Salvatore Martelli
Francesco Mocera
Experimental Analysis of an Autonomous Driving Strategy for a Four-Wheel Differential Drive Agricultural Rover
Engineering Proceedings
autonomous driving
agricultural robot
precision farming
prototype
field test
title Experimental Analysis of an Autonomous Driving Strategy for a Four-Wheel Differential Drive Agricultural Rover
title_full Experimental Analysis of an Autonomous Driving Strategy for a Four-Wheel Differential Drive Agricultural Rover
title_fullStr Experimental Analysis of an Autonomous Driving Strategy for a Four-Wheel Differential Drive Agricultural Rover
title_full_unstemmed Experimental Analysis of an Autonomous Driving Strategy for a Four-Wheel Differential Drive Agricultural Rover
title_short Experimental Analysis of an Autonomous Driving Strategy for a Four-Wheel Differential Drive Agricultural Rover
title_sort experimental analysis of an autonomous driving strategy for a four wheel differential drive agricultural rover
topic autonomous driving
agricultural robot
precision farming
prototype
field test
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4591/85/1/41
work_keys_str_mv AT salvatoremartelli experimentalanalysisofanautonomousdrivingstrategyforafourwheeldifferentialdriveagriculturalrover
AT francescomocera experimentalanalysisofanautonomousdrivingstrategyforafourwheeldifferentialdriveagriculturalrover