Autonomous Tractor Corp. tests voice control system

Minnesota-based Autonomous Tractor Corporation (ATC) has introduced a voice-controlled, camera-guided, semi-autonomous equipment platform, powered by its proprietary eDrive system. Currently in testing, ATC said the eDrive system is a redesign of how modern agriculture operates. Using four overlapping 120-degree high-resolution cameras instead of GPS for precision farming, the system gives autonomous machines optical ‘eyes’ for superior navigation and control.

With voice interface farmers can call their tractors, give it instructions and supervise operations without needing to navigate complex interfaces. “It’s no different than telling a hired hand what to do,” said ATC founder Terry Anderson. “Only this time, the hand is a machine.”

Originally launched as the Spirit tractor concept in 2012, ATC said its autonomous solution has evolved significantly. The team said it found that GPS-based systems couldn’t deliver the accuracy that today’s farmers demand. Instead, ATC said it turned to optics, physics and voice recognition to create something more intuitive, affordable and farmer-friendly.

Anderson, whose background includes physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, and decades of business leadership, said, “Today’s equipment is too expensive, complex, and difficult to repair. We believe farmers deserve better.”

A major focus of ATC’s expected product launch is conversion packages for existing equipment. The company said the conversion process is efficient, taking about a week, and involves removing the existing drivetrain and replacing it with ATC’s diesel-electric module. The system removes components such as transmissions and drive shafts and replaces them with a direct-to-wheel electric drive connected via fiber optics to a central controller.

“We’re working with equipment powered by diesel or ammonia. Anything running on either of those fuels can be upgraded to use eDrive,” said Anderson.

Anderson and ATC are intentional about what autonomy will mean for agriculture. “We don’t believe in 80,000-lb. machines running around without supervision,” he said. “This is supervised autonomy. Machines are doing the work, but always under the watchful eye of a farmer or technician. Just like supervising a hired crew.”

This pragmatic approach, said Anderson, blends the best of innovation with the realities of farm life, allowing human oversight while freeing farmers from exhausting manual labor and sky-high machinery costs.

By retrofitting existing tractors with its the eDrive system, ATC said it removes frequent failure points, such as hydrostatic drives, transmissions, and bearings, which it said will make repairs quicker and more affordable.