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| LG Electronics' lawn mowing robot / Courtesy of LG Electronics |
By Baek Byung-yeul
LG Electronics has launched a lawn mowing robot targeting consumers in Korea, in order to boost its presence in the country's market for such products, which is increasing due to the diversification of housing types such as private residences and townhouses, the company said Sunday.
LG has already been supplying its lawn mowers to U.S.-based lawn mower company B&S for the overseas market, but the company developed a new autonomous lawn mower, fully optimized for the type of grass Koreans commonly grow, after conducting a two-month-long field test here.
"We conducted test operations with 50 customers for two months. We also held field tests at the Daejeon National Cemetery and archery clubs in a bid to reflect user opinions on product performance," an LG spokesman said.
Based on test operations, the lawn mower has been optimized to cut grass to a length of 2-centimeters as the company learned that Korean customers prefer this length. The machine can cover up to 3,000 square meters of lawn and can operate on a 25-degree incline.
For users' convenience, the product can detect obstacles such as trees and stones in the garden and slows down to prevent damage. The machine automatically returns to the charging station when it rains to avoid damage to the ground or grass.
Priced at 5.8 million won ($4,660), the machine can be purchased at LG Best Shop stores and other stores such as Farm Hannong and Dongyang Techtool.
LG said it will continue to expand its robot product lineup. In May, the company plans to roll out robot vacuum cleaners for the business-to-business market. The new machine can clean up to 600 square meters in offices or hotel lobbies. Equipped with a light-detection function including sensors and a camera, the machine can work in all light conditions.
"With LG's advanced robot technology, we will provide innovative customer experiences that make garden management easier and more convenient," Baek Seung-tae, head of LG's Living Appliance division, said.
