Farm Robots Need to Be Trusted to Tell Crops From Weeds

Robots will move along fields either spraying herbicides through a pen-like nozzle or pulling weeds as soon as 2019 after their makers perfect programming them to distinguish weeds from crops like tomatoes.

Farmers appear to be warming to the idea, as challenges recruiting field workers are leading them to seek alternatives.

Still, robot manufacturers acknowledge that they have to ensure their creations are discerning and won’t overspray or accidentally destroy crops with herbicides. They also must promote trust among potential customers who may be wary about artificial intelligence after accidents with Tesla’s and Uber’s autonomous self-driving vehicles, according to robot ...