It's like a Roomba for your lawn

Teenagers, persuade your parents to buy this lawnmower and you can get your weekend afternoons back. The LawnBott seems to have some competition.

The Auto Mower from Husqvarna eliminates noise, hassle and is environmentally more friendly than your average gas-powered lawnmower.

(Credit: Husqvarna Auto Mower)

It works similarly to the Roomba robot vacuum in that it self-charges at a docking station, navigates on its own and can be set to run on schedule. You shallowly bury a boundary wire around the general perimeter of your lawn and any gardens to let the machine know its limits. It can handle inclines, rain and simply reverses itself when it bumps into things like trees.

While the $2,000 sticker might present some shock, compare it with the fuel costs your average $200 to $400 mower sucks up or the fees of a landscaping service. The Auto Mower runs on a rechargeable nickel metal hydride battery that can mow for about four to six hours between charges.

Since it's quiet, you can set the Auto Mower to run at night. In fact, the company says it only needs to be set up once at the beginning of the season and then can be left on its own to mow and charge. Safety sensors stop the blades--which only spin while the machine is in motion--when the machine is lifted off the ground.

But the Auto Mower isn't yet widely available. Only a few stores in the U.S. currently sell it, and one of them is a computer store.

[rosscbrown]

But that takes the fun away...

...from charging round the garden on a ride-on spelling out your name in the grass - unless of course you can program patterns into it - that WOULD be cool!

[gglockner]

This isn't a new idea

Friendly Robotics has been offering Robomow for a few years now. But these
robots are a great idea -- reducing or eliminating thankless chores.

[ballssalty]

Set and forget huh?

After a couple of weeks of growing lawn, maybe the proud owner will wonder who made off with his $2,000 lawn toy. Unless this thing can magically lock itself in the garage, I don't see how useful it is. What about someone just walking up and taking it mid cut? Does it come with a defense mechanism? For $2k it better!

[satayboy]

$2000 compared to fuel costs

"While the $2,000 sticker might present some shock, compare it with the fuel costs your average $200 to $400 mower sucks up or the fees of a landscaping service."

Ok. My lawn guy charges $80/month, so $2000 would cover a little over two years. I don't have to increase my electricity bill to fuel his batteries, nor do I have to worry about wiping the grass clippings off him after he finishes with the lawn. Nor do I have to worry about him getting damaged by rocks or wet grass.

[Magendanz]

Security features?

It may be so quiet you won't notice when someone drives off with your unattended $2000 high-tech lawn mower.

[froaderick]

Had one for years

Had two of these for years... although looks like mine are a slighty older model.. they are great.. one for back yard, one for front yard...lighting is a problem as is service... oh and if the perimeter wire gets cut you are screwed trying to find the break. Security ...It has an alarm if it is removed or touched.... you have to enter a code to even pick it up.

[peggnet]

AutoMower Security

The AutoMower has both an alarm system and takes a pin number whenever regular operations are disrupted. If someone picks it up and moves it, they will then have to put in a pin number ir it is rendered useless. I haven't mowed my lawn since the beginning of last summer. In the North East we pay $50 week to have lawns mowed. Husqvarna says: ?In the hands of a thief, the Automower becomes totally worthless. You needn?t worry about leaving your Automower out at night or while you?re away. A personal 4-digit code is required to operate the mower (rendering it useless to anyone without the code), and there is also an alarm to deter unauthorized users.?

[TxDot]

How about using GPS on this?

It seems that adding GPS capability would make this a lot more efficient. Now I'm basing this off watching the animated demo which shows the device bouncing off the perimeter wire and appears to never quite get the entire lawn mowed. I'm not suggesting they replace the current mechanism but simply adding to it. GPS may not be accurate enough today but it'll be more accurate in the future.

[Arkaris]

Thieves think it is remote controlled...

Robotic Lawn Mowers have been out in America since 2001 and so far we have had 0 reported stolen. Lawnbott has been here in American since 2004 (a little 24 pound mower) and same statement applies. Even if someone does steal it what are they going to do with it? Sell it? Who would buy it without the charging station you cannot use the robots, without the passwords you cannot activate them. And if they are caught that's grand theft and jail time. Plus all the mowers are covered under your home owners insurance. So if it is stolen you are not out anything at all. What we recommend is that people run the machines late at night if they are worried about thieves. People still tend to think these machines are remote controlled not just out on their own. Check out the reviews at http://www.bamabots.com

[jamie.p.walsh]

Robots........replacing illegal alien workers everywhere

[dave0099]

I have had the 220AC Model for about two years now, works great. I have about one acre and it does it no problem. I don't know why I never got one sooner, I love it. I haven't mowed my lawn in 2 years, and my lawn looks better than it ever has! Never had a problem, and Excellent Customer Support. Virtually maintenece free. What a great item, 5 Stars!!!!!

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