At CES 2025, John Deere introduced a range of fully autonomous vehicles aimed at transforming agriculture, landscaping, and construction. The lineup includes an autonomous tractor, a robot lawn mower, a crewless dump truck, and a tractor designed specifically for orchards.
Chief Technology Officer Jahmy Hindman emphasized the company's commitment to full autonomy, stating, "No one's in the machine." John Deere's first autonomous tractor was launched in 2022, and farms are already utilizing this technology for soil preparation.
The new second-generation tractor features 16 cameras for a 360-degree view and processes images using an onboard Nvidia GPU for real-time decision-making. John Deere aims to achieve a fully autonomous farming system for corn and soybeans in the U.S. by 2030.
Among the new vehicles is an articulated dump truck capable of carrying over 92,000 pounds, designed to enhance safety and productivity on construction sites. This truck can navigate autonomously while avoiding obstacles.
John Deere also revealed an autonomous tractor for nut orchards, equipped with lidar sensors to navigate dense tree canopies. Additionally, the all-electric lawn mower is designed for commercial landscaping, utilizing stereo cameras for effective navigation.
While pricing details were not disclosed, estimates suggest a significant premium for autonomous versions of equipment, potentially adding around $50,000 to the cost of a standard tractor. The Federal Trade Commission is currently investigating John Deere's repair practices, which may affect farmer perceptions.