OutRun retrofit autonomy kit vs TRAXX autonomous straddle
Two autonomous tractor machines, one verified table. Every figure below is sourced and dated; vendor claims are labelled and kept apart from independent results.
Self-contained retrofit kit that makes an existing tractor drive itself — autonomous grain cart today, tillage rolling out, Fendt support landing 2026.
Best for: US grain operations that want to drop the grain-cart driver at harvest without buying a new tractor.Single-row autonomous diesel straddle tractor for narrow vineyards from Exxact Robotics, the R&D arm of Exel Industries (commercialised via Tecnoma) — 56 hp low-RPM diesel, 30–35 h per 110 L tank, hydraulic Poclain 4WD/4WS transmission with crab mode, slopes to 35–38%. In series production and delivered to customers since 2023; a hydrogen fuel-cell variant (TRAXX Concept H2, 35 kW) has been unveiled as a concept.
Best for: Narrow French vineyards wanting a driverless workhorse for soil work and spraying with long diesel endurance (30–35 h) and low soil compaction (~1.8 t).| OutRun retrofit autonomy kit Verified 2026-07-16 | TRAXX autonomous straddle Verified 2026-07-16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Autonomous tractor | Autonomous tractor |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | United States | France |
| Availability | Available now | Available now |
| EU market | Pending | CE-marked |
| Lead time | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-16 | 2026-07-16 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Uses host tractor's diesel engine | Diesel — 56 hp low-RPM engine, 110 L tank, 3–4 L/h consumption |
| Required tractor power | Host tractor — John Deere 8R (2014+) with IVT; Fendt 900 now, 1000 series fall 2026 | Is the vehicle (single-row straddle; hydraulic Poclain 4WD/4WS, crab mode) |
| Dimensions | Retrofit kit on standard tractor chassis | Clearance 160 cm standard (175 cm option in development); turning radius <5 m; tracks 116 or 140 cm |
| Weight | Not disclosed | ~1,800 kg without tools |
| Min farm size | 400 ha | Not disclosed |
| Productivity | Grain cart cycles on demand during harvest; tillage with no-till/slow/no-go zones | 30–35 h work per tank of fuel |
| Max speed | Field speeds; per host tractor | Up to 6 km/h |
| Sensors | Obstacle-detection sensor suite · automatic stop · virtual boundary enforcement | RTK GPS centimetre path following · obstacle and human-presence detection (high-sensitivity bumpers, LIDAR) · remote manual mode via ergonomic remote control |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | Not disclosed | ~€150,000 |
| Native price | Not disclosed | ~€150,000 depending on tools |
| Business model | One-time hardware purchase + annual service fee — no per-acre or hourly charges | Sold and serviced via Tecnoma (Exel Industries subsidiary) in France |
| Ongoing cost | Annual service fee (amount not disclosed) | Diesel (3–4 L/h); hydraulic system and tool wear parts; Tecnoma service |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Grain-cart driver at harvest Combine operator calls the cart via iPad · vendor | Onboard operator Driverless GPS path-following across the whole plot; remote supervision · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | Not CE marked for EU autonomous operation | CE marked — series product sold on the French market with Exel Industries industrial backing |
| Machinery Regulation | No EU conformity claimed — product marketed for North America | French-built series product; conformity maintained under the EU machinery regime |
| CAP subsidy | Not applicable — not purchasable in the EU | Reduced compaction and mechanical weeding tool support CAP goals; diesel drive offers no emissions benefit until the H2 variant ships |
"—" means the manufacturer has not disclosed the figure; we never estimate silently. Model either machine's payback with your own numbers on its ROI calculator page.