Having a Gator on the farm or ranch is indispensable for hauling stuff, people transport, spreading, spraying, and hundreds of other tasks. In the past a UTV would basically offer stop, go, and hook up attachments. Now they’re with loaded with options and features that will rival a pickup truck.
Maureen McCormack is John Deere’s go to market manager for gator utility vehicles. She says customers are asking for automotive-like features in their UTV’s.
“Customers want to be able to go seamlessly from their truck to their utility vehicle. They’re looking to have that full touchscreen experience, they’re looking to have a nice comfortable interior, they’re looking to have climate-controlled environments,” says McCormack. “So, those are the things that we find a lot of customers are looking for, especially those like in our ag segment that are really spending all day long in their vehicles. It needs to be comfortable.”
She says their new Gator XUV 835r is tops in technology.
“One of the first things you will notice about that vehicle and what is so cool about it is this fabulous new touchscreen interface,” she says. “That can connect via Bluetooth to your smart phone, or you can plug into it as well, whatever you like, and that way you’re able to interface with all the apps on your phone through the touchscreen monitor there right on the dash of your UTV.”
A rear-facing camera displays video on the touchscreen for better visibility when attaching trailers or spreading materials like seed and salt. McCormack says technology will continue to be their focus. They’re looking at ways customers can use their utility vehicles to better align with large ag equipment technology.
