Secure and Intelligent Autonomy for Agricultural Tractors: An Integrated Framework Combining Swarm Robotics, Telematics, and AI-Based Navigation
Domagoj Zimmer, Mladen Jurišić, Luka Šumanovac, Anamarija Banaj, Edita Štefanić, Pavo LucićThe next generation of agriculture mechanisation lies in the integration of autonomy, connectivity, and intelligence. This systematic review presents a conceptual, integrated engineering framework for safe and intelligent autonomy in agriculture tractors based on a systematic survey that covers major technical advances between January 2020 and May 2026, including research trends, key authors, conceptual clusters, etc. mapped by AI-assisted tools like Bibliometrix, Litmaps, and Elicit. We have a particular focus on the integration among three key research domains related to swarm robotics, secure telematics, and navigation through artificial intelligence. Important technical trends were identified, including but not limited to decentralised consensus algorithms for multi-vehicle coordination, lightweight telemetry secure protocols (CoAp/Oscore, DTLS), neural networks, and a fuzzy logic hybrid approach that adapts complex data to unstructured field constraints. Through the research reviewed, it was found that safety, decision-making, and collaboration are not designed and evaluated together as part of the overall proposed structure, which inhibits future expandability and safety. Based on current research in both areas and its shortcomings, an integrated concept was created that combines elements of decision-making, in-field telemetry, and safe decision-making from farm to cloud using security as the binding approach. At the end of the paper, three practical engineering guidelines are presented.