Competitor Analysis - Automower vs Stihl I-mow

STIHL

Stihl is a well know power equipment provider and have made a good name in the field for their hand held products and push mowers. They also have battery products that are being widely adopted. Stihl got into the field of robotic mowing very late, especially when compared to Husqvarna and this give Automowers a competitive edge over STIHL. The two main models offered by STIHL today are  RMI 422 P and iMow RMI 632 P. The key difference between the two is the range of coverage , battery life and some other features. The 422 model is designed to cover about 0.25 acre, whereas the 632 is designed for upto an acre. Some key differences between these mowers and Automower is listed below, along with the impact that the missing feature can have on the over all performance.

Capability	Stihl 632/432	Automower 315X/430X	Impact
Range	432 (0.25 acre)/632 (1 acre)	315X (0.4 acre)/430X (1 acre)	315X which is priced at same price as 632 may have lesser range, but trumps 632 across other features.
Cutting Blade	Fixed Long Blade	Pivoting Blades X 3	Pivoting blades are much more gentle on the grass and have minimal impact on any object laying on the grass. When the mower goes over any object such as a toy or garden tool, it protects the mower and the object by pivoting away. In a fixed blade, the object can get damaged and in turn can damage the mower as well. Pivoting blades are also considered safer for pets and children.
Guide Wire	None	315X(1 guide wire); 430X (2 guide wires)	Guide wires are very important for optimal functionality of a robotic mower. Without a guide wire the chances of a mower running out of battery are high, without making it back to the charging station. Also, guide wire provide reference to the mower for starting mowing and determining areas covered.
Narrow Passage Handling	None	Automated Passage Handling Patent	Automower uses the APH technology that enables it to navigate itself through narrow spaces and tight openings. This makes it possible to move between Automower gate designed for mowers to move between yards and also enables to better manage narrow spaces.
GPS Technology	None	YES in all X series	GPS enables the mower to plan mowing of the yard in a smart fashion, ensuring all areas are covered and the lawn is evenly mowed. It also is used to track the mower on map in case it is stolen and can enable to retrieve the mower quickly.
Cellular / Bluetooth Connectivity	None	10 years of cellular included in price	Automowers come with cellular technology included in all their X series mowers. This enables the end user to be able to manage the mower from anywhere in the world.
Motorized Cutting Height	None	Yes on 430X	The 430X which is comparable to Stihl 632 has the capability to change the cutting height of the blade motor without any manual intervention. The cutting height can be conveniently changed from anywhere using the mobile app.
Finding Base Station	Uses Boundary Wire and low range RF	Uses guide wire, boundary wire and near/far field RF	The Stihl mower when using the boundary wire to find its way back can run a long way before getting back. It is possible that it may run out of battery before getting to the charging base. This can also create track marks on the grass along the boundary wire. When Stihl uses random movement and low range RF, the chances of mower running out of battery are very high, especially for complex yards.
Headlights	No	Yes (on all X series)	While headlights may seem unnecessary for robotic mowers, they actually are a safety feature. As robotic mowers are operated more commonly during night due to their quiet operation, they can be a tripping hazard in the garden during night. Headlights help improve the visibility of the mower in the yard, hence avoiding tripping hazards and accidents.
Smart Home Capability	No	YES (on all X series)	With smart home integration, voice commands can be issued to park or start the mower using Alexa and Google Home platforms. IFTTT integration also enables more possibilities such as clicking pictures on camera or turning on lights when mower has an error (OR) automatically parking the mower when sprinklers come on or there is a severe thunderstorm coming.