Could a combine operator do more than just … operate? A subsection of the German-based Cab 4.0 project aims to find out
Modern combines don’t stint on ways to take load off the driver — push button set-up, forward speed control, autosteer and the rest. So, if the crop, conditions and field size allow, overlapping automations could free up the operator while the combine looks after the shop. Of course, one eye still has to be kept on the work, but the load is less.
And that opens the door — at least in theory — to multitasking. To find out what operators make of the prospect, researchers from the University of Hohenheim’s Agric Machinery Department recently quizzed 312 combine drivers. Exactly how much the attitude of UK operators reflects those of their German counterparts is an open question, but the survey’s results make interesting reading. Before dipping into the analysis, check out ‘The Survey’ on p79. This details the drivers sampled, their work patterns and the combines they drive, so puts the results in context.
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