CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ahead of the spring lawn mowing season, Husqvarna, the world’s largest producer of outdoor power products, will give 50 qualifying homeowners the opportunity to test the latest gadget in smart home technology: the Husqvarna Automower.

Automower is the world’s best-selling robotic lawnmower, first developed by Husqvarna more than 20 years ago. This spring, Husqvarna will introduce the next generation of Automower, with new features and new capabilities, including a complementing mobile app. Through April 8, homeowners can apply to join Automower First for the opportunity to earn an Automower free of charge and try the cutting-edge technology before anyone else.

“Automower ensures that homeowners consistently have a well-maintained lawn with minimal effort,” said Sean Dwyer, director of regional product development at Husqvarna. “By mowing often and in irregular paths, Automower keeps grass even and carpet-like, while homeowners simply set it and forget it.”

Automower First participants will receive one of Husqvarna’s new robotic models, which will be installed by an authorized Husqvarna dealer in their local market. Once it’s installed, Automower runs regularly to keep the grass even and carpet-like, using an onboard GPS system to navigate its way through the yard, around any obstacles and back to its charging station. From April through September, participants will observe the difference that Automower makes both in their yard and in their lawn maintenance routine, sharing their experiences online and on social media using #AutomowerFirst.