GPS,
Pimp your tractor with the Trimble AgGPS EZ-Steer assisted steering system
posted Apr 14th 2005 7:30AM
The Trimble AgGPS EZ-Steer assisted steering system is almost enough to make us want to leave the big city and
hightail it out to farm country. When hooked up to a tractor or other agricultural vehicle, the EZ-Steer turns it into
a GPS-powered, self-steering ride. According to Trimble, it can be installed in a half hour using just a wrench, and
can be hooked up to any "approved agricultural vehicle with power steering." Since we're not really going to get all
Green Acres, we're seriously tempted to hook one of these up to the Engadget cruiser and tool around the streets of New
York. You'll know it's us when you see the steering wheel turn itself as we check our location on the GPS. And you'd do
well to get out of our way.
[Via Futurismic]
I wonder how many farmers will buy this thinking "EZ-Steer" is something that will help them with an entirely different...ahem...*agricultural* task.
Won't they be disappointed.
John Deere already have a much better version of this. It's called AutoTrac and can steer your tractor (with several metre wide implement on the back) to within 2-4 inches accuracy.
Related to precision farming
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precision_farming
no Knight Rider jokers?
Uhmm.... Has anyone ever USED GPS? It's great. Even with a $500 consumer receiver you can stand in the same place for fifteen minutes and in the screen you will be dancing around in a small region. The accuracy is to within 3 meters. That's not very good when you are plowing a field, now is it? Especially since the accuracy is random and will be off in different directions from day to day. Basically, you would slowly bulldoze your field.
@Ryan:
Actually, John Deere paid for their own satellite space, and it *is* accurate to within 2-4 inches. I've used it. The only downside is the £12,000 price tag.