John Deere has unveiled a self-driving tractor at CES 2022 that’s ready for mass production and that’s expected to begin working in late this year.
John Deere’s autonomous tractor operates in a geofenced area so it knows where to turn around and when to stop. We’re told that setting it up is easy: Farmers simply need to take it to a field, configure it, and launch the job using a purpose-designed smartphone application.
It’s fully autonomous, so it doesn’t require human supervision (either in the cab or in the field), and the app gives owners access to images, a live video feed, and an assortment of data. They can even use their mobile device to adjust the tractor’s speed and its implements, such as a plow’s depth.
Step into the future
Elektrek calls it “a step into the future” as John Deere’s new vehicle will allow farmers to leave the cabs of their tractors after programming the devices to accomplish the task at hand.
The details are managed by “six pairs of stereo cameras around the vehicle to help with object detection,” says Engadget, combined with GPS technology which “enables it to maintain its position within a geofence around an individual field.” The system is even capable of amassing data as it works, like specific soil composition, to better tweak algorithms for each application and field.
It doesn’t sound like removing the driver from the job required making mechanical modifications. Power comes from a 9.0-liter PowerTech straight-six diesel engine that’s twin-turbocharged to develop 410 horsepower. It’s bolted to an e23 PowerShift transmission.
Pricing for the autonomous 8R hasn’t been announced, but we won’t have to wait long to find out: It will go on sale in late 2022. For context, the non-autonomous 8R (which is already one of the more advanced row-crop tractors on the market) starts at approximately $521,600.
