Davidson Prizes for Innovation Awarded

AGCO PTx Trimble, CNH, Bondioli and Pavesi Win Davidson Prizes for Innovation at 2025 Commodity Classic

Dan Miller
By  Dan Miller , Progressive Farmer Senior Editor
This photo illustration depicts New Holland's IntelliSense Bale Automation with LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology. Installed on the tractor cab roof, LiDAR emits laser pulses to calculate distance. LiDAR forecasts swath position and shapes by reading it out 19-26 feet ahead of the tractor, even in low-light or night-time conditions, adjusting forward speed and steering inputs. (Photo illustration courtesy of New Holland)

DENVER (DTN) -- The Davidson Prizes were awarded Sunday at the opening of the 2025 Commodity Classic. Three prizes were given to Bondioli & Pavesi Inc., AGCO's PTx Trimble and CNH America. Now in its eighth year, the award is named after J.B. Davidson, the father of modern agricultural engineering. The Davidson Prizes recognize cutting-edge innovation shaping the future of agriculture.

BONDIOLI & PAVESI

Bondioli & Pavesi were awarded a Davidson Prize for their Electronic Data Interchange (E.D.I.) Driveshaft. The technology improves power transmission efficiency while providing real-time monitoring and diagnostics on a display in the tractor. The Bondioli & Pavesi E.D.I. driveshaft records performance data with a dedicated electronic control unit.

The Bondioli & Pavesi E.D.I. Driveshaft monitors and records torque, thrust, rotational speed, joint angles, vibrations, tube overlap, cross kit temperatures and hours worked.

Bondioli & Pavesi's current E.D.I. driveshaft is powered by a generator turned with the rotation of the PTO. With the current version, power and data are transmitted by cable. However, Bondioli & Pavesi are working on a wireless version.

P[L1] D[0x0] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

AGCO PTX TRIMBLE

AGCO PTx Trimble earned a Davidson Prize for its OutRun autonomous grain cart solution. OutRun is a self-contained retrofit kit that currently enables autonomous grain cart operations with the John Deere 8R or 8000R tractors with intelligent variable transmissions.

OutRun will be commercially available for Fendt tractor models in 2026.

PTx Trimble bills OutRun as a labor saver. From the cab of the combine, the operator calls the autonomous tractor and grain cart to his side for unloading. Once the cart is full, the combine operator sends tractor and cart back to a designated unloading point for manual unloading.

The OutRun retrofit kit mounts to the roof of the tractor. The kit is commercially available across the U.S. For more information, visit: https://www.outrunag.com/….

CNH AMERICA

CNH America was awarded a Davidson Prize for its IntelliSense Bale Automation (New Holland) and Large Square Baler Automation (Case IH). The technology automates key baling functions, helping to ensure consistent bale quality, higher bale production and less operator fatigue.

IntelliSense Bales Automation and Large Square Baler Automation technologies zero in on an operator challenge in every forage field. The windrows are never straight or equal in volume, and those conditions require continuous driver focus to avoid blockages and disrupted bale production.

Bale automation uses LiDAR to detect the windrow position for optimal steering. It measures windrow volume and by that measure, controls forward speed. LiDAR stands for light detection and ranging. It is a ranging technology that uses a laser to create, in this instance, a 3D model of the windrow.

CNH said IntelliSense Bale Automation and Large Square Bale Automation produces a higher volume of quality bales with less driver fatigue, in less time in the field, while also reducing fuel consumption and machinery wear.

Dan Miller can be reached at dan.miller@dtn.com

Follow him on social platform X @DMillerPF

P[] D[728x170] M[320x75] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[L2] D[728x90] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R1] D[300x250] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R2] D[300x250] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
DIM[1x3] LBL[article-box] SEL[] IDX[] TMPL[standalone] T[]
P[R3] D[300x250] M[0x0] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

Dan Miller