The autonomous tractors market is estimated to witness a demand of approximately 12,508 Units in 2019 and 60,901 Units by 2025, at a CAGR of 24.89%. The growth of the market is expected to be driven by the improved efficiency and productivity of crop yield offered by these tractors and growth in initiatives by governments for the adoption of new technologies. The increase in the average age of farmers in developed countries and decline in the availability of labor are also major factors that will drive the demand for autonomous tractors in the near future.
On the basis of power output, 101 HP & above will account for the largest share, followed by the 31-100 HP power output segment, in 2019. The demand for medium-powered tractors is expected to grow at a higher rate as compared to high-powered autonomous tractors, owing to the benefits of four-wheeled tractors such as better soil quality maintenance & control, and cultivating capacities at a high fuel economy. These tractors are versatile and can be used for multiple applications on and off the field. Owing to these factors, most farmers prefer tractors in this range.
In terms of component, the market has been segmented into LiDAR, radar, GPS, camera/vision system, ultrasonic sensors, and hand-held devices. The radar segment in the autonomous market is projected to be the largest by 2025. Radar sensors can determine the velocity, range, and angle of moving objects and can work in almost all weather conditions. They are more cost-effective than LiDAR systems but more expensive compared to cameras, which makes them a preferable option to other components considered by manufacturers for incorporation in autonomous tractors.
On the basis of crop type, the market has been studied for cereals & grains (corn, wheat, rice, and others), oilseeds & pulses (soybean, canola, and others), and fruits & vegetables (orange, vineyards, and others). With the increase in the global population, the demand for fruits & vegetables is also increasing at a rapid pace. A trend shows that weeding and harvesting of fruits & vegetables largely rely on hand labor owing to the fact that fragile fruits & vegetables are delicate, and machinery could damage the crops or the trees that produce them. As a result, new technologies such as autonomous tractors are being developed for fruit & vegetable cultivation.
The key players are AGCO (US), CNH (UK), Mahindra & Mahindra (India), Deere (US), Kubota Corporation (Japan), Yanmar (Japan), and Autonomous Tractor Corporation (US).
