Kubota’s new autonomous farm tractor concept, the KATR, has been recognized with the “Best of Innovation” award at the 2024 CES Innovation Awards. The award highlights the tractor’s potential to advance zero-emission farming technologies, marking a significant milestone in autonomous agricultural machinery.
The KATR is a compact, four-wheeled robot equipped with a stable cargo deck platform and advanced stability control features. These capabilities allow the KATR to perform tasks in off-road agricultural and construction environments, including on steep hills and slopes. The tractor’s design is based on Kubota’s previous New Agri Concept, but it incorporates enhancements for increased versatility and performance.
Brett McMickell, Chief Technology Officer of Kubota North America, stated, “We have a long-standing philosophy that our products must be technically excellent, be productive and enjoyable for our customers, and also ensure the sustainability of limited resources.” He added, “Given the versatility of the KATR, it has a wide range of applications specifically designed to enhance productivity in the agriculture and construction sectors.”
The KATR was named the best product in the Industrial Equipment and Machinery category by a panel of judges, which included media, designers, and engineers. The panel evaluated submissions based on innovation, engineering, aesthetics, and design.
Kubota’s KATR is powertrain agnostic, meaning it can be configured with either an electric or combustion engine, providing customers with flexibility. It is capable of carrying a load of approximately 285 lbs (130 kg) and can be operated remotely or using an onboard controller.
The CES Innovation Awards, produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), are highly regarded in the tech industry, recognizing groundbreaking technologies. CES 2025 will take place from January 7-10, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
