4.0 - What you need to know
Here's what you need to know about Greenzie's 4.0 software release, for usage, demos and training....
Are you a Landscaper, Lawn Maintenance Company, Customer, or End User?
Tune in Tue Feb 25 at 2:00 pm ET or Thu Feb 27 at 2:00 pm ET or Fri Feb 28 at 11:00 am ET for a Live Learning Event on 4.0 just for you Landscapers. Or watch the Recording:
Are you a Dealer, Distributor, or seller of Greenzie-equipped mowers?
Tune in Tue Feb 25 at 1:00 pm ET or Thu Feb 27 at 1:00 pm ET for a Live Learning Event on 4.0 just for Dealers. Or watch the Recording:
4 Big Things in 4.0
The dirty secret: most mowers are running 3.23.1, which has many of the performance, reliability and other functionality already running and deployed.
For clarity, the 4 new features are:
1) Map closer to obstacles
2) A fresh new user interface: with progress and status front and center
3) Smoother mowing operation with less turf damage with redesigned y-turns
4) Performance and reliability: less unnecessary stops, perception improvements
Here's a mental moniker (trick to remember):
"MAP, LOOK, TURN, STOP" which stands for:
MAP - you can map closer to obstacles (new mapping procedure, but all your previous maps are fine)
LOOK - a new look, a fresh new user interface
TURN - better y-turns, less turf damange
STOP - less stops, better performance
For those of us who sell and support (dealers, distributors, OEMs), we should be selling on the 4 new features, but there's only 2 that are entirely new and worth looking at briefly before your next demo: the new mapping procedure, and the new interface.
Just like we did for our 2.0 release and 3.0 release, this release contains many new features customers (and dealers and distributors) were asking for, so we decided to package them all up together and call it 4.0 so we could release them all at once to get some good press and marketing.
To be honest, many of these features are already live and working on your mowers, so there shouldn't be a big learning curve, and the current recommended demo procedures will still work fine.
Here are the things you need to know if you are doing using or demos on March 3rd 2025 or beyond and your mower has updated to 4.0.
New Mapping Procedure
We’ve reworked how you set the boundary (or perimeter), and how we define what your Greenzie equipped mower will mow.
This is thanks to our work together on several safety standards bodies, to ensure that autonomous mowing is safe and efficient.
We now use the outer deck to record the working area. Previously, we used the midline of the mower, and told landscaper operators to leave at least 2 mower deck lengths (10 to 12 feet) as a buffer area for turns. This isn’t necessary any more.
Now, with 4.0, you define the working area with the outer deck of the mower, which allows you to define the perimeter precisely.
When you map out the working area, the software will determine the mowing area, leaving a small buffer space of about 1 deck width. That's the main difference.
Keep out zones are where this really shines and is how you can now map jobs closer to obstacles: because we use the outer deck to define the keep out zone, instead of a line through the middle of the mower.
Previously, in 3.0 software, we advocated 10-12 feet to allow for turns. Not any more.
The mower will now first mow an inner boundary lap.
What’s great about this, is that it always mows the same first inner boundary lap, regardless of whether you just mapped out this job, or if you reloaded this saved job, the following week. No more babysitting of the mower, as you now know the full area it will mow, easily.
If, for any reason, the mower slips, is jostled, or for any reason any part of the mower goes outside the boundary, it shuts off immediately. Safety first.
Now, when it gets to a keep out zone, the mower will mow a boundary lap around the keep out zone. Previously in 3.0 software, we’d just keep stripe-ing away from the obstacle, but now, it’s visually nicer because you know where the mower will mow, especially for reloaded jobs with keep out zones.
Once it’s done mowing the inner lap of the keep out zone, it’s back to striping. When it encounters another keep out zone, it’ll perform an inner lap on that one too, just like a human operator would.
Striping stays the same. When it's done it turns off the blades, and drives along the boundary back to the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know if my mower is running version 4.0?
A: Easiest is to use the companion app under the 3-dots menu on the top right.
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You can also just ask support via text or call: 470-719-1773. If you're on a desktop or laptop computer, you can also view your mowers here: https://app.greenzie.com/ via a web browser, using your login (call if you need help getting access), and click on a mower to see the version of software it is running.
Q: What about the 1000s of maps our customers have already created to mow well over 2.5 billion square feet of turf mowed autonomously so far, and are using across the country. Will they work in 4.0?
A: Yes, no problem. All existing maps still work. We simply expand the perimeter by an extra half-deck width. This makes the perimeter the same as if it had been originally mapped along the same path with the new features. Of course, this doesn't account for how much closer to objects in the environment we allow mapping to, now. You may want to re-record new mapped out job perimeters to take advantage of these new features. The choice is yours.
Q: For obstacles where you don’t define a keep out zone, but are encountered in the field? Does it go closer to them?
A: No, the mower still leaves two mower deck lengths, about 10-12 feet from any obstacle encountered in the map.
Q: How long do I need hands on with 4.0 before demoing?
A: If you’ve demoed previously, 5-10 minutes
Q: Should I just wait until mid march to demo or buy the Autonomous ZK?
A: No! Heck no. Sell it!
Q: Can the mower get closer to obstacles?
A: No. While you can map closer to obstacles, the mower still uses the same safe distance for obstacles detected in the field. We recommend you use Keep Out Zones to define all known obstacles, and not rely on the perception system to detect and navigate around or stop for obstacles.
Q: Do I have to remap all my jobs?
A: Nope. They all still work. You may want to re-record new mapped out job perimeters to take advantage of these new features. The choice is yours.
Q: What happens when you reload a job from before 4.0?
A: The software uses a sensible estimation of where the deck edge would have been and uses that as the outer boundary. All jobs will still work.
Q: Will it mow the perimeter?
A: No. If you reload a job, it will not re-mow the perimeter. It only mows the inner boundary lap and the inner Mowing Area.
Got more questions?!? Let us know via support, and we'll update you and this page!
Last updated:
* 2025-02-21 1:51 PM ET - initial draft
* 2025-03-03 2:27 PM ET - added recordings of Live Learning Events