Deere Debuts Autonomous Farm Tractor

Farming equipment maker John Deere last week debuted its fully autonomous 8R tractor.
While tillage is the current focus, autonomous capabilities are expected to expand to cover planting through harvest.
“A lot of the value in autonomy is what you are able to do while you are not sitting in that tractor,” said Bryan Thul, John Deere Product Manager for Autonomy.
The autonomous tractor can be activated for operation in two ways. The farmer can utilize the Operations Center, either by mobile device or offboard through the internet – before they even get to the field. Autonomy can also be activated manually inside the tractor cab.
The tractor will not start unless the farmer is within a 1,500-foot range. “This is a safety feature to ensure there is no one underneath the tractor,” Thul said.
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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen joined leadership from the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) urging drivers to reduce speeds, put down their phones, and keep their attention on the road, after the state’s latest road worker accident.
The need for drivers to take it slow and pay attention is imperative,” said Pillen. “We’ve had too many recent incidents of troopers being hit and now, an NDOT worker. When people see cones in the road, flashing lights and directional signs, it’s usually a signal that activity is happening nearby. That’s the time motorists need to look ahead, slow down, and move over. No one should be on a cell phone while operating their vehicle.”
“This marks the fourth critical or fatal injury to NDOT public servants in the last two and a half years. Our roads, specifically due to driver behavior, continue to pose a threat to first responders,” said NDOT Director Vicki Kramer.
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The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted to maintain OSHA funding at current levels, with modest increases in NIOSH funding for FY2026.
The bipartisan 26–3 vote sends the FY2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to the full Senate.
If passed, the bill would shield both agencies from earlier proposed cuts that had raised alarm among safety advocates and researchers.
The committee’s accompanying report stressed increasing concerns around workplace hazards, particularly opioid misuse and heat-related injuries.
A corresponding House bill has yet to be scheduled for markup.
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The American Industrial Hygiene Association is making a big push to restore NIOSH funding in the FY2026 federal budget, after the Trump administration cut core funding to $73 million from previous levels of more than $350 million.
“This has been quite the journey since April 1,” AIHA CEO Larry Sloan said, according to industry media outlets. “The cuts jeopardize the health and safety of workers and leave huge gaps in occupational safety and health protections across the country.”
AIHA said it is using the current August Congressional recess to rally its members to send letters and schedule in-person meetings with lawmakers.
“Our members have been asked to reach out directly to their elected officials, especially those sitting on key committees,” Sloan explained. “We provided a spreadsheet prioritizing those members and supplied talking points, infographics, and background documents on NIOSH’s programs,” Sloan said.
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