In August 2022, Malaysian company Meraque announced RACE, short for Robotic Agro in Complex Environment, following its unveiling at the Malaysia International Agricommodity Expo & Summit in Kuala Lumpur. The ground vehicle was developed for oil-palm plantations, where the company identified labour availability and consistency of fertilizer application as practical challenges.
The announcement described a smaller, 150-litre prototype for strip spraying and a larger prototype with more than 500 litres of carrying capacity. Onboard computing and precise positioning were intended to support navigation between plants and route decisions. Meraque presented development in phases: collecting navigation and spraying data, increasing payload and manuring capability, and subsequently integrating coordinated vehicles. These were prototype specifications and development plans reported in 2022, rather than proof that every proposed function had already reached commercial maturity.
