"California winemaker Patrick O'Connor stated, 'It totally failed,' after testing the tractor for three years, claiming that $200 million in funding was 'wasted' on the 'failed autonomous AI robot tractor.'"
"O'Connor remarked on the tractor's safety, saying, 'I wouldn't let anyone else around it,' highlighting the dangers he experienced while using it in self-driving mode."
"Carlo Mondavi, a founder, commented on O'Connor's video, expressing that he had high hopes for the product but left the company due to disagreements, stating the tractor 'had real first-gen challenges, and farmers shouldn't be the ones carrying that burden.'"
Monarch Tractor, a Bay Area startup, raised over $240 million for its self-driving electric tractors but has now collapsed, laying off nearly all employees. The company was once valued at $518 million and hailed as a potential billion-dollar startup. However, it abandoned its headquarters and warned of a possible shutdown. Farmers, including winemaker Patrick O'Connor, criticized the technology as ineffective and dangerous, claiming that significant investments were wasted. Founders expressed disappointment over the product's challenges and the burden placed on farmers.
Read at SFGATE
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