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The tractors are nowhere near "driverless", in fact the Deere (at least) won't operate without a driver in the seat. It's more like cruise control except for steering instead of speed.

But if you've ever tried to hold a row for 16 hours a day, while simultaneously adjusting to conditions, monitoring machine performance, etc; just steering is a BIG help.

Trucks, other tractors, people, etc are allowed in the field at the same time; it's quite common, for example, to unload a combine into a truck or trailer while it is still harvesting. Back in high school, I had a summer job on a potato farm where that was the only way they operated; the potato combine had no hopper so it was my job (along with many others) to 'catch' the potatoes as they came out. Usually you knew when the wagon was 'full' because you could no longer keep up with the combine even at full throttle!

But the big difference is that other things are expected to stay out of the way. Deere even offers some apps that will guide multiple machines at the same time,
r4d012156_rrd_machinesync_243x200.jpg


PS, sorry if I sound like an ad for Deere. I spent a lot of years programming that yellow mushroom on top of the cab, and trying to explain to my friends why a farmer would need GPS to get through a field!
 
Steering those ruler straight rows by eye is an art, one I never mastered. It depends on picking a point on the horizon and heading for it. I always managed to wander off line. Making sure you kept parallel with the last row adds to the problem. This was in UK fields so they were not that big.
Wish I had had GPS as a helping hand.

David
 
My Sister's father-in-law would drive the rice bin alongside the header. The trouble was he never got it that he was supposed to follow the header not try to heard it like a sheep dog. He would run into the header frequently.
My Sister became bin driver and Dad was retired to driving the truck to deliver the rice to the mill.


David

TR3driver said:
The tractors are nowhere near "driverless", in fact the Deere (at least) won't operate without a driver in the seat. It's more like cruise control except for steering instead of speed.

But if you've ever tried to hold a row for 16 hours a day, while simultaneously adjusting to conditions, monitoring machine performance, etc; just steering is a BIG help.

Trucks, other tractors, people, etc are allowed in the field at the same time; it's quite common, for example, to unload a combine into a truck or trailer while it is still harvesting. Back in high school, I had a summer job on a potato farm where that was the only way they operated; the potato combine had no hopper so it was my job (along with many others) to 'catch' the potatoes as they came out. Usually you knew when the wagon was 'full' because you could no longer keep up with the combine even at full throttle!

But the big difference is that other things are expected to stay out of the way. Deere even offers some apps that will guide multiple machines at the same time,
r4d012156_rrd_machinesync_243x200.jpg


PS, sorry if I sound like an ad for Deere. I spent a lot of years programming that yellow mushroom on top of the cab, and trying to explain to my friends why a farmer would need GPS to get through a field!
Click to expand...
 
TR3driver said:
Trucks, other tractors, people, etc are allowed in the field at the same time; it's quite common, for example, to unload a combine into a truck or trailer while it is still harvesting. Back in high school, I had a summer job on a potato farm where that was the only way they operated; the potato combine had no hopper so it was my job (along with many others) to 'catch' the potatoes as they came out. Usually you knew when the wagon was 'full' because you could no longer keep up with the combine even at full throttle!

But the big difference is that other things are expected to stay out of the way. Deere even offers some apps that will guide multiple machines at the same time
Click to expand...

Which is the thing, unlike in the city where those on foot or wheels may or may not pay attention, want to be the last one through before the light is "really" red, jaywalk and 100 other things. it's easier when everyone is working to the same end purpose.
 
DavidApp said:
Steering those ruler straight rows by eye is an art, one I never mastered. It depends on picking a point on the horizon and heading for it. I always managed to wander off line. Making sure you kept parallel with the last row adds to the problem. This was in UK fields so they were not that big.
Wish I had had GPS as a helping hand.

David
Click to expand...

A good friend of ours is a retired plowman/farmer in Scotland. He continues to attend competitions. Staying in perfect rows is difficult.
 
Plowing with steam? You young whip-snappers don't know this, but a well trained team of oxen doesn't even need humans for guidance! Self-driving indeed!

Here we are at Sturbridge, teaching a visitor the basics:

 
Bring back steam power!! Those GPS tractors are just oversized Roomba units... :smirk:
 
Steam engines are just about the coolest engines around. I could watch videos about steam power all day.
 
Prairie village here in South Dakota has a week long steam engine and tractor event
everything thing from a train down to stationary engines and everything in between
years ago I manned a plow on a 12 bottom plow along with eleven other guys the tractor being pulled across virgin prairie by a Case steam tractor
it was amazing! The tractor was near silent but you could here the plow tearing thru the sod .
you want to see old steam power this is for you.
https://www.prairievillage.org/
 
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