Symbolic course description for semiautonomous agricultural vehicles

Abstract Agricultural field machinery operators have to control the motion of the tractor and the various implements. Autonomous motion planning and execution capabilities of the tractor could allow the operator to concentrate on the operation of the implements. Commanding and programming should be easy and the semiautonomous operation must be robust. In the field of service robotics several approaches for motion planning and control have been developed and successfully tested. A combined symbolic and numeric/geometric control is presented and advantages for the motion planning and control of agricultural field machinery will be pointed out.