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Standards Development
The revision will cover:
• Clarification of Scope to include the “public highway” as an operating zone only when AMM is manually operated;
• New terms and definitions – Transport vehicle, Co-worker and Bystander;
• Inclusion of amended terms including – Machinery operator;
• Amendments to Clause 4.4 (Control the Risk) and Clause 10 (Maintenance and Repair) to reinforce practical safety measures and clarify user responsibilities, especially in dynamic farm environments;
• Full revision of Clause 9 to expand and better reflect the practical realities of relocating Autonomous Mobile Machinery (AMM) between fields and operational areas. Changes include:
o Proposed change to Clause Title to identify and take into consideration movement and transport of AMM between fields
o Introduction of Two Relocation Scenarios –
- Self-Propelled Movement: Manual or autonomous relocation without performing agricultural tasks; and
- Transport Using Vehicle: Guidelines for loading, securing, and monitoring AMM during transit.
o Planning and risk controls
• New Annex content to include four new tables, along with supporting guidance, to address environmental and operational zone considerations affecting Autonomous Mobile Machinery (AMM).
o Table A1: Environmental factors affecting AMM performance
o Table A2: Operating zone attributes
o Table A3: Examples of tasks associated with Assisted Transportation Scenarios
o Table A4: Examples of scenarios associated with self-propelled movement.
• Introduction of the layers of protection philosophy. Adapted from ISO 12100:2010, this section will outline a structured risk management approach, detailing protective measures by designers, users, and integrators, and emphasizing continuous risk assessment.
The annex aims to enhance the standard’s relevance and robustness by addressing operational safety in varied environments and bridging current gaps in coverage.
The standard is intended to be used by Farmers and Horticulturists / Owners and operators of AMM / Designers and equipment manufacturers / Research and development organizations.
The standard will use the existing standard BS 8646:2023 as a base document.
BS 8646:2023 is a Code of Practice which was developed to help organizations to introduce autonomous mobile machinery (AMM)—including crop robots— into their agricultural or horticultural operations safely and securely. It helps to address the growing need for automation in farming due to labor shortages, sustainability goals, and the demand for more intensive crop and resource monitoring and management.
The proposed changes to BS 8646 include several key updates and additions aimed at further improving safety, clarity, and operational guidance for introduction and use of Autonomous Mobile Machinery (AMM).
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