Forget fancier object detection or the ability to mow patterns into lawns. When it comes to robot lawn mowers, there are two requirements: the ability to move through your garden, and the simplest setup possible.
They’re the two features that Segway has managed to nail in its new line-up, impressively even with its entry-level Navimow i2 AWD, which costs just £799.
All-wheel drive isn’t just for tough terrain
As you may have guessed from the product name, the Navimow i2 AWD has all-wheel drive. It sounds like the kind of technology that you’d expect on high-end models, built for steep slopes and bumpy terrain. Indeed, the first robot that I saw with the technology was the high-end Mammotion Luba 2 AWD.
The truth is, the single biggest issue with robot lawn mowers is that a lot of them can easily get stuck. Most entry-level (and many more expensive) robot lawn mowers have two wheels at the back and a little toy wheel at the front.
Many will drive into a little divot in the ground and dig it out; even the ones that are smarter and can move each wheel independently will dig holes in your garden while unsticking themselves. In many of our robot lawn mower reviews, we’ve noted that a quality lawn mower is let down by wheels that simply can’t cope very well with bumpy ground.
Unless you’ve got grass as flat as a bowling green, there’s a good chance that you’ll end up with a robot that will get stuck. Nobody wants to have to move around the garden, levelling it out and fixing the holes a robot might dig.
If you’ve got pets, then the issue can be worse. My cats love to dig holes in the lawn, which trip up many robot lawn mowers.
Bringing AWD to an entry-level robot isn’t just impressive, it’s essential. While the Segway Navimow X4 has four powerful wheels and can cope with steep slopes and large areas, similar AWD technology is built into the i2 AWD’s three wheels.
Each individually controllable, the i2 AWD has two powerful real wheels and a smaller, powered wheel at the front. As a result, it should power over bumpy ground without digging up the garden, and it can cope with slopes up to 45%. In other words, it will handle all typical UK gardens.
Cleverly, the third wheel can be turned, and the power system delivers Zero-turn: the i2 AWD can turn on a dime, letting it get into the corners of your garden and cut into tight areas.
Finally, Network RTK is free for all
The other addition from Segway is free Network RTK forever. Rather than having to use a base station, which is a faff to set up, Network RTK uses the internet for the required positioning data.
Network RTK is nothing new, and I saw this first with the Husqvarna AutoMower 305E Nera. With this robot, you need Wi-Fi coverage in your garden for Network RTK to work. I’ve got that, but do most people? I don’t think so.
Segway’s solution is to provide free mobile access for its Network RTK. No Wi-Fi? No problem, the robot can accurately position itself without any fiddly reference stations.
With the promise of network mapping at the touch of a button, the i2 AWD could be set up and ready to go in a matter of minutes with practically no effort.
In a world where many companies are introducing increasingly complex, niche features, the main thing I want to see from everyone is Network RTK and AWD.
