this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2026
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66
This Autonomous Snow Blower Shovels on its Own, Recharges Itself, and Keeps Going (www.carsandhorsepower.com)
submitted 5 days ago by Changelin@discuss.tchncs.de to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] Perspectivist@feddit.uk 22 points 5 days ago (2 children)

I've seen a few videos of this thing in action, and while I like the concept - especially that you can use the same device to mow the lawn too with the lawnmower attachment - it's still quite painful to watch it work.

Especially with snow blowing, it's just so disorganized: driving all over the place and making quite the mess. If I'm dropping 5k on an automatic snow blower, I don't want to have to clean up after it.

[–] whereIsTamara@lemmy.org 26 points 5 days ago (1 children)

5k will go pretty far with the neighbor kid too.

[–] Mac@mander.xyz 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Shit, for $5k I'd sign up.

[–] whereIsTamara@lemmy.org 4 points 4 days ago

Come on kiddo, the $5k is in my basement next to the snow shovels I’ve collected.

[–] Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago

I'll take the cheap knockoff version that works better than this original (though worse than the current model) in ten years

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 16 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Like every machine, only in certain conditions, which I assume the maker tries to hide as much as possible.

[–] IphtashuFitz@lemmy.world 7 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Like snow or ice buildup causing issues with the camera, radar, etc.

[–] black_flag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 5 days ago

I'm also thinking like...snow-blowers are kinda dangerous. How does it know it's not about to chew through your limb or pet? Does it just charge through whatever? If it doesn't do that, then does it get stuck randomly thinking it's trying to keep you safe but actually there's just snow in its way.

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 5 points 5 days ago

Or it not being able to find its way back to the charging station

[–] ryan_@lemmy.world 12 points 5 days ago (1 children)

They suck

https://youtu.be/F3-NUXxhH_M

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 14 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (3 children)

It also runs over children and small animals indiscriminately! Not one mention of safety features in the entire article is concerning.

[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 5 days ago (4 children)

If you go the the manufacturers website it mentions several safety systems; radar, camera and a physical bumper and grate to keep things from getting into the machine

[–] Reygle@lemmy.world 16 points 5 days ago

radar, camera

Translation: Does not function without active internet connection. Reports telemetry (including photos and video) of your personal property which is then sold and used for "marketing" surveilance purposes. Records when not in use/charging. If not already, volunteers all data to FLOCK

[–] IphtashuFitz@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Radar & camera can be degraded by snow/ice buildup. A grate that lets wet snow in is also going to be big enough to let rocks and other debris in.

[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 5 days ago (1 children)

A grate that lets wet snow in is also going to be big enough to let rocks and other debris in.

But not kids and pets at leaat

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Arms and legs allowed in are still really bad. You can't run fast in snow, and you are more likely to trip.

[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 5 days ago (2 children)

There's like a 1" gap in the grate and at least 3-4" from there to any moving parts. Yes, a toddler can stick their arms in there, but if that happens it will be predominantly due to horrible parenting.

It obviously isn't 100% hazard free, it's a motorized power tool after all, but it does seem to have proper mitigations in place to reduce risk of injury to a reasonable level.

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 days ago

Not allowing it to operate autonomously with zero supervision should be a requirement. Anything less is not reasonable mitigation.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 0 points 5 days ago

due to horrible parenting.

Get your fat fuck kids out with a shovel and clear the driveway.

[–] madnificent@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

The camera is heated so that should not be the biggest problem. I don't think they have the software to make it work.

I have not had obstacle detection work on the other modules aside from a person being nearby being detected. With that feature you will not see it working from close by, but it will destroy children's toys, drive over poop, destroy its own antennas by driving under tables, drive against tractors, ...

It could be capable one day but not with this software (team).

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

it mentions several safety systems; radar, camera and a physical bumper and grate to keep things from getting into the machine

There were 1,429 Waymo accidents reported to the NHTSA between July 2021 and November 2025. Injuries and Fatalities: There have been 117 injuries and 2 fatalities reported in relation to these accidents.

[–] ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 days ago

There are not really any similarities to the environment and use case of autonomous cars driving in open public roads, at high speeds, in a several thousand pound heavy vehicle, with thousands of other people acting in random unpredictable ways, and a 50 pound snow blower driving at walking pace in your own private closed driveway with basically no one in the area of operation.

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 days ago

That's good to hear at least!

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I watched a review of this thing and the guy had to hide in some bushes to film it because it would shut off every time he got near it. That being said, it required a lot of configuration and didn't work too well.

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 4 points 5 days ago

Lmao, that's actually hilarious. Good to hear. In a world where business increasingly has little regard for human life and safety, I'm glad they're taking it that seriously.

[–] Lembot_0006@programming.dev -2 points 5 days ago

That's the feature! Killer feature, I would say...

[–] madnificent@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago

This company overpromises and underdelivers as if it's a Chinese competition to do so.

Source: own the lawn mower and blower

[–] RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works 4 points 5 days ago

My driveway isn't nearly long enough to justify the cost but its very cool.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

a 24-inch clearing width and is rated to handle snow depths of up to 12 inches in a single pass.

Cough[bullshit]cough

video shows it blowing maybe an inch.

[–] mrnobody@reddthat.com 3 points 5 days ago

I'll take the version Wayne Szalinski makes that can be controlled by a large remote, then hire some random kid to do it while also searching for my own kids!

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

"Your momma was a snowblower!" - Johnny 5

[–] rjpayne@piefed.ca 2 points 5 days ago

Where’s the fun in that??

[–] compostgoblin@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 points 5 days ago (3 children)

What was wrong with a $10 shovel?

[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

100 people die in the US every year from shoveling snow. Not everyone is fit for the task, and yet if you own property you are almost required to.

[–] compostgoblin@piefed.blahaj.zone 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, that’s fair. Snow blowers as a personal purchase have always felt silly to me, since if needed you could always pay for a shovel/plow service that just come when it snows, so you don’t have an expensive appliance sitting around that might barely be used. Now I’m wondering what the cost comparison would look like between the two. I suppose it depends on how much snow you usually get

[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

I see this as something that makes the services more affordable. A municipality might even be able to deploy them for seniors if they are efficient enough.

[–] compostgoblin@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 points 5 days ago

That would be a great application for it! Okay, I’m swayed in the other direction. For stuff like schools, churches, etc, I can see it making sense. Especially if the machines aren’t hard to maintain.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 2 points 5 days ago

The $10 shovel doesn't clear the driveway for you...

[–] frongt@lemmy.zip 2 points 5 days ago

Pretty hard to use if you're disabled.

[–] fubarx@lemmy.world 0 points 4 days ago