Company Announcements

CES^® 2026 Exhibit Unveils a Smart, Integrated, Autonomous Solution in Kubota's M5 Narrow Diesel Specialty Tractor, and a New Concept Versatile Platform 'Transformer' Robot (KVPR)

LAS VEGAS , Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- During a media briefing at CES^® 2026, Kubota reiterated its global vision to become an Essentials Innovator for Supporting Life—committed to enriching lives and building a brighter future through technology innovation. At the heart of this vision is Kubota's mission to solve pressing global challenges such as skilled labor shortages, an aging farming population, and the need to feed a growing world. By delivering reliable, versatile, and intuitive equipment, Kubota empowers customers to work more easily and productively, enhancing their lifestyles while naturally delivering sustainability benefits along the way.

Building on this commitment, Kubota combines smart, right-sized, user-centric equipment with real-time intelligence to give customers the freedom to work their way, whether in the field or through an app. This year, Kubota announced the commercialization of a smart, integrated autonomous solution developed in partnership with Agtonomy for the specialty crop market, fully built into the 105.7-horsepower diesel Kubota M5 Narrow tractor with advanced sensing and artificial intelligence. Designed for reliability and versatility, this innovation helps customers work more efficiently.

Kubota also introduced a concept versatile platform 'transformer' robot (KVPR) that expands, contracts, and moves along every axis, delivering the adaptability of multiple machines in one intuitive solution. This versatility supports customers across different operations and seasons, making work simpler and more enjoyable. In addition, Kubota showcased a Digital Twinning system designed for real-time, persistent data monitoring—whether tracking a single bud or managing an entire operation. These innovations reflect Kubota's vision to solve big challenges with smarter, more compact solutions that prioritize the human experience.

"Big challenges don't just need big machines; they need smarter solutions that make life easier," said Todd Stucke, General Manager of Agri Solutions Headquarters, Kubota Japan (KBT), and President of Kubota North America. "Our go-to-market solutions are the culmination of our customer-driven innovation cycle, where the goal is not simply to automate what you've always done, but to rethink how work can be done more intuitively and efficiently."

Kubota's approach to commercialization prioritizes customer choice and the human experience. Rather than simply automating traditional workflows, Kubota designs smart and flexible machines that let customers work the way they prefer, whether in the seat or with the swipe of a finger, while maintaining the performance and ease of use they expect.

"Physical AI is a key inflection point for our industry and for Kubota," said Brett McMickell, Chief Technology Officer for Kubota North America. "Decision-making, obstacle detection, and voice recognition capabilities mean AI real-time insights will now inform tasking, labor assignments, and efficiency improvements. This is just the beginning of what is possible when you design technology around human needs, enhancing the way customers live and work rather than focusing only on technical capability. We can now facilitate more complexity with more certainty and more simplicity than ever before."

Leading luxury wine supplier, Treasury Wine Estates, is already leveraging Kubota's intuitive solutions in the field and joined Kubota at CES to share best practices for testing autonomy. "We put Kubota's M5 Narrow tractor to work during mowing and under-vine cultivation," says Marc Di Pietra, Regional Service Maintenance Manager, Treasury Wine Estates. "It handles routine passes with autonomy and sensing across every row and block, which reduces rework, increases efficiency, and gives our team more time to focus on what matters most."

Kubota has a history of more than 130 years of tackling society's toughest challenges through extraordinary engineering—always with the goal of improving lives. In 1893, Gonshiro Kubota began producing cast-iron pipes to provide clean tap water and prevent the spread of cholera in Japan. Today, Kubota is recognized as the pioneer of the sub-compact and compact tractor as well as compact excavators. With its open platform approach, Kubota accelerates smarter solutions to market, powering the next phase of its innovation cycle by favoring flexibility and intuitive design in compact–sized machines that enrich customers' lives.

For more information about Kubota products and innovation cycle, visit the Kubota North America booth #6001 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention CenterJanuary 6-9, 2026, or visit KubotaUSA.com/innovation or Kubota.com/CES. 

About Kubota North America Corporation
Kubota North America Corporation (KNA), with headquarters in Grapevine, Texas, serves as the central business hub for all KNA companies in the U.S. and Canada, where leadership closely connects resources and shares talent across all lines of Kubota's business. Kubota Corporation, based in Osaka, Japan, and together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells a range of machinery, including tractors, construction equipment, lawn and garden equipment, hay tools and other performance-matched implements to the North American market. For product literature or dealer locations, contact: Kubota North America, 1000 Kubota Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051, (888) 4-KUBOTA [(888) 458-2682], Ext. 900, or visit KubotaUSA.com or Kubota.ca.

About Agtonomy
Agtonomy is an AI and software services company specializing in intelligent automation for agriculture, turf, and beyond. Through partnerships with leading equipment manufacturers, Agtonomy's platform is embedded into industrial machinery to enable automation in complex, real-world environments. Its platform boosts efficiency, safety, and sustainability, while allowing operators to retain command over every task. Learn more at Agtonomy.com.

About CES ^®
CES is the most powerful tech event in the world – the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world's biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)^®, CES features every aspect of the tech sector. CES 2026 takes place Jan. 6-9, 2026, in Las Vegas. Learn more at CES.tech and follow CES on social.

About Consumer Technology Association (CTA) ^®
As North America's largest technology trade association, CTA is the tech sector. Our members are the world's leading innovators – from startups to global brands – helping support more than 18 million American jobs. CTA owns and produces CES^® – the most powerful tech event in the world. Find us at CTA.tech. Follow us @CTAtech.

 

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SOURCE Kubota North America Corporation