Pathfinder 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.
Israeli-developed aftermarket kit (Ouster OS1 LiDAR + camera + GNSS sensor fusion) that converts existing tractors of any brand into autonomous units for spraying, spreading, mowing and discing in permanent-crop orchards, vineyards and berries. Sold via a Robot-as-a-Service subscription and, since a 2024 partnership, through select New Holland dealers in the western US; Bluewhite reports 50,000+ autonomous farming hours across 150,000+ acres with 20+ US growers. In May 2026 Bluewhite was acquired by Elbit Systems' defense-autonomy subsidiary FUSE; the company's own site now foregrounds off-road/defense messaging, and the standalone future of the farming line is unclear from public sources.
Best for: Large US permanent-crop growers (orchards, vineyards, berries) with an existing tractor fleet who want to add autonomy without buying new equipment, and who are comfortable with a subscription (RaaS) model.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).| Pathfinder Verified 2026-07-18 | TRAXX autonomous straddle Verified 2026-07-16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Autonomous tractor | Autonomous tractor |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | Israel | France |
| Availability | Available now | Available now |
| EU market | Pending | CE-marked |
| Lead time | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-18 | 2026-07-16 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Retrofit kit powered by the host tractor's own diesel powertrain — no dedicated power source of its own; brand-agnostic (confirmed on New Holland tractors) | Diesel — 56 hp low-RPM engine, 110 L tank, 3–4 L/h consumption |
| Required tractor power | Aftermarket retrofit for any existing tractor brand/model; power comes from the host tractor | Is the vehicle (single-row straddle; hydraulic Poclain 4WD/4WS, crab mode) |
| Dimensions | Not disclosed | 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 | Not disclosed (deployments to date are large commercial orchards/vineyards — 150,000+ acres across 20+ US growers) | Not disclosed |
| Productivity | Not disclosed per-machine; fleet-wide agricultural figures only — 150,000+ acres across 20+ US growers, 50,000+ cumulative autonomous farming hours (Bluewhite $39M raise announcement, Jan 2024; a later Elbit acquisition release cites 100,000+ hours, but that figure is combined agricultural + defense, not agriculture-only) | 30–35 h work per tank of fuel |
| Max speed | Not disclosed | Up to 6 km/h |
| Sensors | Sensor fusion of Ouster OS1 LiDAR (primary, 45° field of view), RGB/infrared cameras and GNSS/GPS for GPS-denied, canopy-tolerant navigation; IMU for motion sensing; automated obstacle/collision avoidance | 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 | Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) — subscription access to the retrofit kit and Compass software rather than a one-time purchase; also sold/serviced as an aftermarket kit through select New Holland dealers in the western US since 2024. No unit or subscription price published. | Sold and serviced via Tecnoma (Exel Industries subsidiary) in France |
| Ongoing cost | Subscription/RaaS fee — amount not disclosed | Diesel (3–4 L/h); hydraulic system and tool wear parts; Tecnoma service |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Operating cost in permanent-crop operations 50-85% reduction (vendor claim, "in the areas where Bluewhite-equipped tractors are deployed") · vendor | Onboard operator Driverless GPS path-following across the whole plot; remote supervision · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | Not disclosed — no CE-marking evidence found; confirmed commercial deployments are US-only | CE marked — series product sold on the French market with Exel Industries industrial backing |
| Machinery Regulation | Not applicable — no evidence Pathfinder has been placed on the EU market | French-built series product; conformity maintained under the EU machinery regime |
| CAP subsidy | Not applicable — no EU/CAP-linked deployment found; cost-reduction claims relate to US operations | 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.