Kubota unveils new autonomous concept tractor

Kubota has unveiled a brand new concept tractor that it says represents the future of farming
Kubota has unveiled a brand new concept tractor that it says represents the future of farming

Kubota has unveiled a new futuristic concept tractor at a product exhibition recently held in Kyoto, Japan.

The 'Dream Tractor', which also goes by the name of 'X tractor - cross tractor', was on display at an event to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the Japanese machinery giant.

Equipped with the latest artificial intelligence and electrification technology, the tractor is completely autonomous.

Kubota unveiled the concept model in anticipation of the full-scale introduction of smart farming, something which is 'continuously expected by farmers'.

Key features of the concept tractor model include a fully unmanned operation driven by artificial intelligence.

Based on various data such as weather data and growth rates, AI chooses the appropriate operation and makes actions timely, the Osaka-based company says.

Full electrification of the tractor model helps achieve an environmentally-friendly farming operation.

The tractor is based on 100 percent electric power by combination of lithium-ion batteries and solar batteries.

The environmental data obtained by the model can then be automatically shared with other machines at site to realise centrally-managed efficient operation.

Elsewhere, the four-wheeled crawler achieves stable autonomous driving even on wet paddies and uneven terrains.

The crawler changes its shape to maintain the tractor height at the optimal level, thus performing in various processes.

The in-wheel motor makes it possible to arbitrarily change the rotation speed of the four crawlers (front, rear, right, and left) to achieve a small turning radius for autonomous operation on various types of land.

Kubota demonstrated the concept tractor at a product exhibition held in Kyoto on 15-16 January.