All-Terrain platform vehicle KATR Named as Red Dot Design Award 2025

(1) Product Concept

• KATR is designed to provide a stable platform, even on slopes and rugged terrain, by hydraulically bending and extending its four legs. This allows KATR to transport loads of up to 240kg on rough terrain without tilting the cargo deck. The product features a modular design, which allows for flexible modifications to specifications such as width and wheel size, enabling it to adapt smoothly to various working conditions.
• Additionally, it is expected to be utilized across a wide range of fields, including agriculture and forestry, through to construction and even disaster response, by serving as a platform that can be combined with diverse equipment.
• In the future, we envision the vehicle evolving into an autonomous model that collaborates with humans, utilizing AI and self-driving technologies.

• Modular design refers to a method of product design that divides the product into multiple independent components (modules), making it easier to combine and modify. This approach allows for the addition of functions or upgrades tailored to specific needs.

(2) Design Features

• The design aims to embody a friendly and robust character, reminiscent of living organisms, suitable for a vehicle that collaborates with humans. Its symmetrical appearance symbolizes the flexible operational capabilities of an autonomous vehicle, while the modular design allows it to accommodate various specifications.
• Furthermore, we envision the vehicle proactively communicating its status and work suggestions through light and sound. This includes indicating the direction of travel with lights and visualizing its sensing capabilities when a person approaches and the vehicle comes to a stop, as well as providing work suggestions through voice communication. This facilitates natural collaboration between humans and the vehicle through interactive communication.

Kubota is committed to envisioning a future driven by superior technology while focusing on customer-oriented product development. By continuously engaging with the field and pursuing innovation, we aim to provide outstanding products and solutions that meet our customers' expectations.

• The Red Dot Design Award is an international design competition organized by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Germany, with a history of over 60 years.
• It is divided into three categories: Product Design, Brand & Communication Design, and Design Concept, each judged annually by a panel of global design experts.
• The Design Concept Award, which KATR received, is awarded to concepts and prototypes that are in the development stage prior to market launch.
• The evaluation criteria include innovation, aesthetic quality, realisation possibility, functionality, emotional content, and impact (practicality and social contribution).

• For more information, please visit the official Red Dot Design Award website
  https://www.red-dot.org/