SIWI · Automatic Hitching for total Safety of Farmers when Coupling machinery

Modern farm tractors provide most of the muscle power needed for today's high output agricultural enterprises. However, with current practices, they are also dangerous, with a number of fatal occupational accidents estimated at three times higher than the average. Power Take-Off and contact with machinery attachments (known as hitching) are one of the main causes. A routine task in farming is to connect the tractor with a trailer or tool. Current approach is to do it manually, requiring the operator get near the connection, hence, the injuries. We have developed the first fully automated hitching system, SIWI. With our system the operator can connect/disconnect the tractor from the seat, not having to get anywhere near the connection. Moreover, productivity is dramatically increased since a trailer change is done in just under 30 seconds! Instead of the current 15-20 minutes. Reduced cost, operation time and increased safety and comfort are SIWI USPs. Moreover, our solution is a great fit for farmers with disabilities. Our market is huge (150,000 new tractors registered every year in the EU), and the interest already raised has been great from customers and distributors, locally, within Europe and even from Japan. We have already sold 40 units of our current prototype. With the support of the SME Instrument we aim to overcome its current limitations to make it 100% efficient functionally and scale-up production, reducing the price and increasing profit margin, to be able to meet the great demand expected. Our solution is already patented, which will be updated through Phase 2.