The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) announces the first-ever American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for robotic, battery-powered, electrical lawn mowers. Publication of the robotic lawn mower standard has been highly anticipated by the outdoor power equipment industry and start-ups designing products for the category.
“It is predicted that this market category will grow considerably in the next six years, as the outdoor power equipment industry continues to innovate and improve products in response to consumer needs,” said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI. “Standards play an important role in everyday life and ensure that consumers know what they are getting when they purchase a product like a robotic mower.”
The global robotic lawn mower market is expected to grow by nearly 22% over the next six years, according to a recent Grand View Research, Inc. study.
The ANSI/OPEI robotic mower standard is “ANSI/OPEI 60335-2-107-2019 (Standard) for Outdoor Power Equipment - Household and similar electrical appliances - Safety - Part 2-107: Particular requirements for robotic battery powered electrical lawnmowers (national adoption with modifications of IEC 60335-2-107).” The standard was approved on September 5, 2019 and is expected to be published this fall.
The Standard specifies and provides requirements for robotic lawn mowers including:
- Safety requirements and their verification for the design and construction of robotic battery powered electrical rotary lawnmowers and their peripherals with the rated voltage of the battery being not more than 75 volts of direct current.
- Requirements for the safety of charging stations and boundary setting devices used by robotic mowers.
“We expect to see increased competition in this product category as manufacturers will now be able to design equipment to meet the industry standard,” Kiser said.
The standard was developed through a public input process that brings together consumers, manufacturers and commercial equipment users. OPEI is a recognized Standards Development Organization for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and active internationally through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in the development of safety and performance standards.
ANSI is the primary organization for fostering the development of technology standards in the United States. ANSI works with industry groups and is the U.S. member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
