The Farmers Mart Oct-Nov 2018 - Issue 59 | Page 63

VALTRA 63 • OCT/NOV 2018 WORLD RECORD: UNMANNED VALTRA REMOVES SNOW AT 73.171 KM/H NOKIAN Tyres and Valtra have set the world record for snow removal with an autonomous tractor. The speed record was set in March 2018 using an unmanned Valtra T254 Versu tractor equipped with Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI tyres. Op- erated without a driver, the tractor ploughed snow on a closed road in Southern Finland at 73.171 km/h (45.466 mph). The Valtra T254 Versu has been awarded the title Tractor of the Year 2018 and is widely appreciated by contractors and farmers alike for its versatility in a wide range of jobs including agriculture, forestry and munic- ipal maintenance tasks. While not necessary for achieving this speed record, the standard T254 Versu comes equipped with the innovative SmartTouch user interface, which has been widely praised by tractor operators for its intuitiveness. The speed record was set in secured conditions and with the involvement of research teams from both Nokian Tyres and Valtra. Autonomous technology is of growing interest across many industries including logistics, road machinery and agriculture. As the leading Nordic tractor manufac- turer Valtra has a long history of building machines adapted for road maintenance tasks in cold conditions. The data retrieved from the speed record provides valuable data for future research into autonomous technology. Exceeding the ordinary tractor speed with a front-mounted imple- ment and on a slippery surface puts stress on the tractor and its tyres. The block tread pattern of the Noki- an Hakkapeliitta TRI tyres have been specifically designed for stability on icy and snowy surfaces. This is the second world record in sub-zero conditions that has been set by Nokian Tyres and Valtra. In 2015, the two Finnish manufacturers teamed up with rally legend Juha Kankkunen to set the current speed record for driving a tractor on ice at 130.165 km/h using a Valtra T234 Versu tractor with Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI tyres. Videos: World’s Fastest Snow Ploughing with an Unmanned Tractor https://youtu.be/xKNPmXWDvlE The Snowrace: Rally Champion vs. 7-Ton Tractor https://youtu.be/nOMPcdR2DcI Sovereign Agricultural Services Ltd Sovereign have the complete VALTRA range backed up by first class service Full range of parts and accessories available Contact us for a test drive and to discuss your requirements Call 01484 603682 Woolrow Lane, Shelley, Huddersfield, HD8 8LW Main Dealer for West & South Yorkshire | email: [email protected]