History of agricultural machinery automation

Stage I: Pre-Industrial Revolution (before the 18th century)

Prior to the Industrial Revolution, agricultural production relied primarily on human and animal forces. Farmers use simple hand tools for tasks such as tillage, sowing and harvesting, and lack automated mechanical equipment.

The second stage: The Industrial Revolution (late 18th and 19th centuries)

With the rise of the Industrial Revolution, agricultural mechanization began to appear. The invention of the steam engine and the internal combustion engine made possible the development of agricultural machinery. This period saw the emergence of some early agricultural machinery, such as steam tractors, reapers, and steam-powered farm implements.

Stage III: Mechanization (first half of 20th century)

At the beginning of the 20th century, the popularity and development of internal combustion engines promoted the further development of agricultural mechanization. Tractors became the main machinery of agricultural production, replacing human and animal forces. The types and functions of agricultural machinery have also been expanded, including seeder, sprinkler, harvester and so on.

Phase IV: Electronization and Automation (mid-20th century to present)

Since the middle of the 20th century, the application of electronic technology and automation technology has promoted the development of agricultural machinery automation. The introduction of sensors, control systems and computer technology has enabled agricultural machinery to be automated and intelligent. Agricultural machinery began to realize automated functions, such as automatic navigation, automatic operation and data management.

Contemporary development: the age of intelligence and digitalization

With the continuous development of artificial intelligence, big data and Internet technology, agricultural machinery automation has entered an era of intelligence and digitalization. Modern agricultural machinery has more powerful computing and data processing capabilities, which can achieve more advanced automation functions, such as intelligent decision support, remote monitoring and autonomous operation.