Earlier this year, John Deere unveiled its first fully autonomous tractor. The announcement was made as part of CES 2022.
What’s notable about the autonomous John Deere 8R?
This revolutionary machine combines John Deere’s 8R tractor with a TruSet-enabled chisel plow and GPS guidance system. The autonomous tractor also leverages recently unveiled advanced technologies; more on this to come.
Why is this new tractor important?
Global population is expected to continue to grow at a rapid pace, which means global food demand is growing right along with it. Farmers already face a steep challenge when it comes to meeting these demands, and the realities of less available, workable land combined with a dwindling supply of qualified labor makes the pursuit of this goal even more difficult.
In addition to these issues, every farmer knows that it’s the variables you can’t control that can really make or break a growing season. Changes in weather, climate, variations in soil quality and weeds and pests can add to an already heavy burden.
The autonomous 8R tractor works to answer some of these challenges.
How does it work?
This state-of-the-art machine features six pairs of stereo cameras which allow for 360-degree obstacle detection as well as distance calculation. The images taken by these cameras are processed at the rapid pace of 100 milliseconds, helping the tractor determine if it should keep moving or stop.
John Deere’s autonomous 8R is continuously checking its position against a geofence to ensure that it’s driving where it needs to be. The technology is accurate within less than an inch.
After transporting the tractor to the field they’ll be working in, farmers can configure the machine to operate without a driver using John Deere Operations Center Mobile. Users can start the tractor by swiping from left to right within the app. As the tractor is operating autonomously, the farmer can step away from the field to work on other jobs, while still keeping an eye on the tractor’s operations from their mobile device.
By accessing John Deere Operations Center Mobile, users can see live video, data and more. They can also adjust things like speed and depth to ensure it is operating at its best. Should any abnormalities occur while the tractor is operating autonomously, the farmer will receive an alert in real time.
Check out this short video by John Deere to hear one farmer’s take on the autonomous 8R.
John Deere’s autonomous 8R tractor is set to be available to the public in the fall of this year. Interested in learning more? We’re passionate about equipping you with the best in John Deere Precision Ag technology and products. Contact or visit the 21st Century Equipment location nearest you for more information on the autonomous tractor or any other John Deere needs.