Can Michigan Expect Robot Snowplows Soon? The Current Status

Originally, I sought to write an article about Michigan's beach-combing "Wall-E," affectionately referred to as "BeBot." BeBot (pictured below) autonomously roams Michigan's sandy coastlines, picking up litter left by its human creators. However, as fascinating as this is, I was left with one lingering question: If they can make a garbage-eating, beach-roaming robot, is there hope that someday we will be able to use a similar implement to handle Michigan's snow?

Does An Autonomous Snowplow Exist in Michigan?

All I could picture was a Roomba with a plow on it. Well, it turns out that the robot snowplows our state deserves do exist, but they aren't ready to roll out quite yet. In fact, there's an annual autonomous snowplow contest held annually in St. Paul, Minnesota, that invites colleges and universities to compete against one another for Snow Terminator supremacy, something the University of Michigan has been a part of for several years.

The Battle of the Autonomous Snow Bots, Bringing Plowing Bots Closer Every Year

The annual Battle of the Autonomous Snow Bots requires teams to manufacture a machine that can safely and without human intervention clear snow. Snow is piled, obstacles are set up, and points are deducted for contact with anything other than snow. Some teams rely on Lidar, while others use cameras or other forms of visual identification.

While the robots at the Battle are impressive, you won't be seeing them on display at your local hardware or Home Depot anytime soon. That said, you can order a few online, but the reviews haven't merited the nearly $5,000 price tag some sellers are asking.

Private Companies Selling "Snow Bots", But Are They Worth the Investment?

YARBO, an autonomous snow plow company that created its first prototype in 2017, has been working on and releasing new robot snow blowers ever since. The YARBO Snowbot is one of a few autonomous snow removers on the market, but based on online video reviews, it hasn't lived up to the hype.

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The YARBO has a ton of promise, with its programmable patterns and driveway sensing poles that help the little robot stay on course. The biggest issue seems to be weight, as even at over one hundred pounds, it lacks the power and traction needed to handle a Michigan snowstorm.

Perfection Takes Time When It Comes to Michigan's Autonomous Snowplows

While autonomous snowplows may be a few years off, snow plow drones are something that has already been successfully tested in Minnesota according to Car and Driver. No commercial license is needed to remotely operate a snowplow, so finding drivers may be a thing of the past.

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So, while our driveway snow Roombas may still be a few years away, rest assured that there are very intelligent people working very hard so that, eventually, you won't have to.