Members of the Green Party faction in the German Bundestag plan to vote on a proposal aimed at banning the night operation of lawnmower robots to protect hedgehogs. The initiative, reported by the Funke media group, stipulates that the manufacturers of these devices must technically exclude night activity via software updates on all new models starting in 2027. Furthermore, the legislation calls upon the federal government to establish mandatory national rules requiring all mowing robots to operate only during daylight hours.
The concern stems from the increasing prevalence of robots, which is correlating with an increase in hedgehogs being severely injured or killed by the machines. The Green faction emphasizes that in their proposal, they cite tests showing that the devices’ sensors often fail to detect the animals, meaning the robots do not steer clear of them. Because the hedgehog population has been considered potentially endangered since 2024, the parties argue that the robots represent an additional threat to the species. Correspondingly, the League of Cities and Municipalities also demands an outright ban on nighttime operation.
Harald Ebner, a Green politician and member of the Environmental Committee, stated that hedgehogs are crucial for ecological balance, noting that they “eat snails and naturally keep pests in check”. However, he pointed out that the species’ populations are declining sharply due to the combined pressures of pesticides, habitat loss, and increasingly, mowing robots. Ebner lamented that these machines are becoming a major threat to the mostly nocturnal animals, which lack a natural flight instinct.
As a solution, Ebner demanded that robots be programmed to operate during the day and only charge their batteries at night. He stressed the need for a cohesive national framework rather than a “patchwork quilt” of local regulations. On the technological side, he urged manufacturers to develop technical solutions that program the operation specifically for daylight hours. Even better would be systems with reliable hedgehog detection capability. Finally, the Greens stressed that supporting volunteer hedgehog collection stations and other animal welfare facilities must also receive increased assistance.