California to Revisit Ban on Driverless Tractors

We talked on this very program a few days back about a concentrated effort when it comes to research and development for automated technology such as drones used for the application of agricultural spraying.

Too futuristic?

As part of the latest news blast from the California Farm Bureau, they’re telling that we might be a bit closer in the state…

From the Farm Bureau, they say that during the last half-century, the emergence of new agricultural technology such as aerial drones, autonomous tractors and other equipment has changed the way crops around the world are planted, cared for and harvested. But in California, a regulation from the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, dating to 1977, has prohibited the use of autonomous agricultural equipment without a driver at the helm.

So that’s the history, but what’s the news? According to California Farm Bureau, after years of advocacy from farm groups, the agency’s standards board has empaneled an advisory committee to examine the regulation, signaling it may consider revising it.