Abstract: Embodiments include a surface maintenance machine. The surface maintenance machine includes a body. Wheels support the body for movement over a surface. A cleaning tool chamber is housed towards a bottom portion of the body. One or more rotary brooms are housed in the cleaning tool chamber. A vacuum system is adapted to generate vacuum for drawing particulate swept by the one or more rotary brooms. A side brush is positioned laterally on the surface maintenance machine and connected to a first side of the surface maintenance machine. The surface maintenance machine can also include one or more sensors. The surface maintenance machine can also include a side brush speed program operatively connected to the side brush, where the side brush speed program is configured to automatically reduce a rotational speed of the side brush in response to detecting an obstacle adjacent the first side of the surface maintenance machine.