INRAE's Roboterrium announced on 21 July that it had received two TREKTOR autonomous tractors through support from Promodis. The machines expand the experimental resources available at the Montoldre facility for agricultural robotics research, evaluation and demonstrations.
Developed by SITIA for vegetable growing and viticulture, the platforms are designed to carry out different cultivation operations. Roboterrium highlights their open architecture and autonomous capabilities as useful foundations for research teams and collaborating partners.
The significance of the update is access to physical experimental equipment: researchers can investigate complete machines and their interaction with agricultural tools. It is not a report of a newly completed performance trial, nor does the announcement quantify reductions in labour, inputs or soil compaction. Those outcomes require separate experimental evidence.
