Husqvarna's New Robotic Lawn Mower Tackles Steep Hills

BARCELONA—Husqvarna Automower's new 435X AWD robotic mower comes equipped with artificial intelligence, all-wheel drive, and smart home connectivity. It's capable of handling rough terrain and—more impressively—managing extreme slopes with an incline of up to 70 percent.

In addition to controlling it from a connected app, you can also manage the 435X AWD with voice commands via Google Home and Amazon Alexa.

To combine traction with movability in a way that won't tear up the lawn, the robotic mower has two connected bodies that interact independently. To keep it lightweight, the bodies are held together by a magnesium bridge—the metallic structure that sits on top of the device.

The 435X AWD has a sleek look for what's essentially a lawn mower. While a majority of the mower is dark gray, parts of it include Husqvarna's signature orange accents. Headlights on the front allow it to navigate easily at night, without requiring you to leave your own lights on whenever it's mowing the grass.

There are also a few new safety features. In addition to an automatic stop when the mower is picked up or turned over, the 435X AWD has a remote object-detection feature. Whenever it senses an object is close by, it will begin to slow down in order to avoid hitting it. The front rubber bumper also helps to reduce impact when it hits an object. When it's running low on battery, it will also find its way back to the charger and then continue to mow once it's powered back up.

Watching the mower in action, it had no problem effortlessly cruising along the turf. During the demo, it went up and down a steep hill multiple times with no sign of trouble. Unlike standard lawn mowers, it's also pleasantly quiet while it cuts away at the grass. Knowing it can handle such deep inclines without having to constantly monitor it should be reassuring for those who have complex backyards.

When it comes to connectivity, the 435X AWD can be controlled remotely using the Husqvarna Connected app as long as you have cellular coverage. Using the app, you can also schedule mowing times, change the height at which it cuts, and more. With GPS, you have the ability to check which areas have already been mowed.

As for voice commands, Google Home and Amazon Alexa integration isn't limited to the new 435X model. The feature is already available on current Automower models in the US—you can use the voice assistant to do things like start, stop, and pause the mower.

Starting in March voice commands will be available in German, while French and Swedish will be available in the second quarter of 2019. Tech-savvy users can even design their own program for the robotic mower via IFTTT or through the open API, which will be globally available in the second quarter.

All of the robot lawn mowers will now be compatible with the Gardena Smart System as well, so you can manage watering and mowing.

Availability for the Husqvarna Automower 435X AWD has yet to be confirmed, but it's expected to arrive in the US in 2020. It's tentatively priced at 4900 Euros, which converts to roughly $5,500.