A　tomato　harvesting　robot　was　developed　in　this　study,　which　consisted　of　a　four-wheel　independent　steering　system,　a　5-DOF　harvesting　system,　a　navigation　system,　and　a　binocular　stereo　vision　system.　The　four-wheel　independent　steering　system　was　capable　of　providing　a　low-speed　steering　control　of　the　robot　based　on　Ackerman　steering　geometry.　The　proportional-integral-derivative　(PID)　algorithm　was　used　in　the　laser　navigation　control　system.　The　Otsu　algorithm　and　the　elliptic　template　method　were　used　for　the　automatic　recognition　of　ripe　tomatoes,　and　obstacle　avoidance　strategies　were　proposed　based　on　the　C-space　method.　The　maximum　average　absolute　error　between　the　set　angle　and　the　actual　angle　was　about　0.14　degrees,　and　the　maximum　standard　deviation　was　about　0.04　degrees.　The　laser　navigation　system　was　able　to　rapidly　and　accurately　track　the　path,　with　the　deviation　being　less　than　8　cm.　The　load　bearing　capacity　of　the　mechanical　arm　was　about　1.5　kg.　The　success　rate　of　the　binocular　vision　system　in　the　recognition　of　ripe　tomatoes　was　99.3%.　When　the　distance　was　less　than　600　mm,　the　positioning　error　was　less　than　10　mm.　The　time　needed　for　recognition　of　ripe　tomatoes　and　pitching　was　about　15　s　per　tomato,　with　a　success　rate　of　about　86%.　This　study　provides　some　insights　into　the　development　and　application　of　tomato　harvesting　robot　used　in　the　greenhouse.