Simulation of Short-Range Field of View for Agricultural Machinery Based on Standards Requirements

The increasing demand for large and tall self-propelled agricultural machinery has raised important safety concerns. This development has significantly reduced the operators' field of view, increasing the risk of serious or fatal accidents for both them and nearby workers. It has therefore become essential to address visibility and safety issues related to the use of such machines. In response to these challenges, this article proposes an innovative method to virtually analyze and verify the operator's field of view. By using a system based on ray tracing rendering, it is possible to assess the operator's visibility in accordance with both current ISO standards and the upcoming ones. In addition to ensuring compliance with these standards, the system also allows for the simulation of realistic scenarios involving interactions between agricultural machinery and nearby workers, thereby evaluating the operator's visibility in real tasks. The proposed method enables the direct identification of issues during the 3D design phase, allowing for targeted interventions on components that cause masking effects. In cases where direct visibility is deemed insufficient, it also offers the possibility of virtually implementing indirect vision systems and evaluating their effectiveness in improving visibility. Furthermore, the limitations of the current standard regarding the field of view near the tractor with rectangular boundaries will be discussed. In this regard, the virtual system can serve as a useful tool in defining criteria and limits to be adopted in future standards. The use of simulation and virtual prototyping of cabin to assure the correct Field of View from the driver’s position can be effectively used to shorten early design stage of new tractors.