Society’s View on Autonomous Agriculture: Does Digitalization Lead to Alienation?

Abstract

Digital and autonomous technologies enter the agricultural market at an increasing rate, yet little is known about society’s view on this development, although the public is an important stakeholder. By means of a discrete choice experiment (n = 675), societal preferences for different weed control technologies and tractor types of different degrees of autonomy are investigated. The model applied focuses on emotion-related covariates. The results indicate preferences for conventional or autonomous tractors and for methods of weed control that reduce the need for herbicides. Additionally, positive associations with images of robots correlate with the rejection of conventional tractors in the discrete choice experiment.