Researchers develop hedgehog safety test for robotic lawnmowers

Our new standardised safety test will greatly aid hedgehog conservation, by enabling manufacturers of robotic lawnmowers to ensure their models are “hedgehog friendly” before they are put on the market.’Dr Rasmussen was inspired to develop the test after carrying out collision tests between robotic lawnmowers and dead hedgehogs. So, the more hedgehog friendly mowers out there, the more chance there is that the first mower a hedgehog meets is a hedgehog friendly one. The project is supported by industry partners STIHL and Husqvarna, who intend to use these findings as part of their efforts to develop hedgehog friendly robotic lawnmowers. Ultimately, the researchers hope that the hedgehog safety test using the dummies will become integrated into the official testing protocols approving the robotic lawnmowers for sale on the European market. Hopefully, the results of this work will stop or drastically reduce the risk of robotic lawnmowers causing harm to hedgehogs.