Kubota and Agtonomy Team Up on Tractor Autonomy

Kubota North America announced a strategic partnership with Agtonomy, an agricultural autonomy software company, to commercialize autonomous operations on Kubota M5N diesel tractors. The initial applications will focus on spraying and mowing tasks for specialty crop growers.

The collaboration aims to enhance productivity and reduce labor demands by integrating Agtonomy’s autonomy platform with Kubota’s equipment and AI-driven crop insights. The joint initiative is designed to help specialty agriculture customers streamline their operations without the need for significant infrastructure changes.

“As demonstrated at CES, Kubota is dedicated to innovating solutions tailored to specialty crop growers, including those in wine grapes, nuts, citrus and berries,” said M. Brett McMickell, chief technology officer for Kubota North America. “Our working relationship with Agtonomy represents a significant milestone toward commercializing our vision for agricultural autonomy by merging our expertise and technology with Agtonomy’s autonomous platform, enabling growers to optimize their operations. We have chosen to partner with Agtonomy due to its proven technology, successful engagement with growers and shared commitment to working alongside customers for continuous feedback.”

The first phase of the rollout will bring Agtonomy’s autonomous capabilities to Kubota’s M5N series tractors, which are widely used in vineyards, orchards and other specialty farming applications. Select growers will participate in the initial deployment, supported by Kubota dealers to ensure integration within current workflows.

“Partnering with Kubota, a global leader in agricultural equipment, is an exciting milestone for Agtonomy,” said Tim Bucher, CEO and co-founder of Agtonomy. “Together, we're helping bring practical autonomy solutions to growers, accelerating the adoption of automation to improve efficiency, profitability and sustainability on the farm.”

Kubota’s broader innovation strategy includes collaboration with research institutions, universities and technology providers. By combining its agricultural expertise with new technologies, Kubota aims to deliver flexible autonomy solutions and multi-vehicle support that respond to the evolving needs of specialty crop producers.

“This collaboration exemplifies Kubota’s commitment to open innovation, enabling us to anticipate and address the evolving needs of specialty crop farmers,” added McMickell. “By working closely with growers and incorporating their feedback, we will refine autonomous capabilities, enhancing multi-vehicle support, offering flexible autonomy options and delivering a Kubota-driven technology ecosystem that improves efficiency and field operations.”

Kubota also noted plans to explore additional powertrain solutions as it continues developing technologies to support autonomous farming systems.

For more information, visit KubotaUSA.com/Innovation and Agtonomy.com.