The Rise of Driverless Tractors: Farming Goes High-Tech

At FIRA USA 2025, the future of farming was on full display — a world where tractors no longer need drivers.

Companies like Kubota, John Deere, and Agtonomy unveiled their latest autonomous machines designed to plant, plow, and spray without human input.

These high-tech vehicles promise to solve one of agriculture’s biggest challenges: labor shortages and rising costs.

In Japan, where the average farmer is nearly 70 years old, robots are quickly becoming essential to keep farms running.

According to Agtonomy CEO Tim Bucher, one person can now manage multiple tractors remotely, effectively “cloning” themselves to do more work at once.

Industry leaders say automation isn’t just about saving money — it’s about survival.

With fewer young people entering the sector, the next generation of farming depends on technology that’s safer, more efficient, and capable of sustaining global food production in the years ahead.