Kubota is using this week’s Agritechnica to exhibit its new MR 1000A Agri Robo KVT. The Agri Robo KVT model can be controlled manually or remotely and autonomously. This makes road journeys easier and allows for long working days in the fields.
Agri Robo KVT enhances Kubota’s range of autonomous tractors, which started in Japan in 2017 with the SL60A, followed by the 100 hp class in 2020. The new autonomous tractor model represents a new way of working in agriculture. It solves the problem of labour shortages and allows the performance of precise work, even at night, without interruptions, while guaranteeing maximum comfort, safety and efficiency.
The new Kubota tractor allows farmers to operate either manually or autonomously. This offers a great advantage as the machine can drive on the road to the work area like a normal tractor and, once there, the autonomous mode can be activated so it does the work on its own.
In addition, thanks to its intuitive operating system, the farmer can even remotely operate two tractors at the same time with a tablet, a special remote control or a screen in the cab. The Farm Management Information System (FMIS) on the tractor panel allows real-time monitoring of the tractor, so the operator is in control of the quality of the work at all times.
Future-proof technology
Agri Robo KVT is a 100 hp, mid-range, autonomous tractor developed on the Kubota M5112 model platform, with which it shares many of its components. The Kubota V3800 four-cylinder diesel engine capable of delivering 100 hp, and the hydraulics, axles and cab, are all inherited from the previous model, but the new tractor’s KVT transmission is fully customised for autonomous functionality. Smoothness and progressiveness are the keys to providing the best tractor-implement combination efficiency in the autonomous universe.
Safety is fully guaranteed during use in automatic and remote mode. The tractor incorporates state-of-the-art sonar and scanner technology, plus optical recognition systems, enabling it to detect stationary or moving obstacles or people at any distance.
Weighing between 3550 and 4130 kg, the new Agri Robo KVT is also lighter than standard tractors. This causes less soil compaction, thus protecting the soil, improving crop yields and contributing to more sustainable agriculture.
Cost reduction and the environment
Kubota, as a major player in the agricultural sector, will continue to develop cost-saving technologies to solve labour problems and enable precision farming to meet the challenges of the future. The Japanese manufacturer aims to make the welfare society a reality with high value-added agricultural products, improved profitability and lower environmental burdens in food production.
The Kubota MR 1000A Agri Robo KVT tractor will be exhibited for the first time in Europe at Agritechnica, the world’s largest agricultural trade fair, which runs from 12-18 November in Hannover, Germany. To date, there is no European release date available.
