Plant accurate rows
Every farmer wants seed and fertilizer placed as accurately as possible. With rising input costs and more practices—like strip till or inter-row seeding—requiring precision, accuracy at the implement has never been more important.
AutoTrac Implement Guidance helps you make the most of every input by keeping the implement exactly where it needs to be. A second StarFire™ receiver mounted on the implement allows the tractor to guide the tool with greater accuracy, even on curves or rolling ground. AutoTrac Implement Guidance (passive) steers the tractor to keep the implement locked onto the guidance line.
This accuracy at the implement pays off in several ways:
With more consistent seed placement and better alignment to pre applied nutrients, you get more value from every pass — and can reduce overall input costs through improved precision.
“Best thing I did was put implement guidance on my planter, I’m on the guess row and you can’t tell.” – Happy ATIG Customer in NE
Accurate implement positioning and maintaining a consistent distance between passes (often referred to as guess rows) is crucial for many growers. While differential corrections ensure tractor location accuracy, implement drift can reduce the location accuracy at the implement level. Enhancing pass-to-pass accuracy with AutoTrac Implement Guidance, improves overall operational accuracy throughout the crop year, enabling more effective use of the AutoTrac™ automated steering system on subsequent passes through the field. This also facilitates the use of implements with varying widths on the same field, such as using a 40-foot strip-till bar, followed by a 60-foot planter, and then a 120-foot sprayer.
ATIG allows the machine to automatically steer itself for implement consistency pass-to-pass
As previously noted, ATIG enables consistent guess rows, which reduces overlap and improves placement of inputs.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Advanced Settings to dial in desired performance
Active Implement Guidance
AutoTrac Implement Guidance (passive)
Active Implement Guidance (AIG) and AutoTrac Implement Guidance (Passive) (ATIG) allow operators to be more precise and productive in the work they are doing as they can focus on value-add tasks and let the system take care of the steering while traveling though the field.
So, what is the difference between AIG and ATIG? We are happy you asked:
Active Implement Guidance (AIG) pairs up with an implement steering mechanism, which allows both the implement and tractor to stay precisely on the same guidance track. This system is optimal for applications in standing row crops, like side-dressing application of nutrients, in addition to first-pass operations like planting and seeding or strip-tilling.
AutoTrac Implement Guidance (passive), on the other hand, allows the tractor to travel off the guidance track while keeping the implement on the intended path or guidance track. There is no implement steering mechanism needed because the tractor can travel off the guidance track. This system is optimal for first-pass applications like pre-season nutrient applications, tillage, planting and seeding, or strip-tilling. It is not recommended for applications in emerged crops or when planting in applications where the tractor must stay precisely on the guidance track.
Backing a planter or toolbar into a tight corner is where stress spikes and time gets wasted. AutoTrac Reverse Implement Guidance keeps your implement precisely on the guidance line while you operate in reverse.
Back your planter up in even the most difficult parts of the field with no stress. Let ATIG do the hard work for you. And yes, this may be an extreme example, but the planter was being backed up in this scenario while the operator was completely hands-free. This showcases the power of AutoPath and AutoTrac Implement Guidance working together to improve the quality of field work and the operator’s quality of life.
Simply engage AutoTrac, shift to reverse, and the tractor makes the small steering adjustments needed so your planter or toolbar lines up fast and plants straight. Operators of any experience level can back up with more confidence, reposition less, and leave straighter rows that simplify spraying and harvesting later in the season.
What do you get when you combine AutoPath, AutoTrac Implement Guidance, and AutoTrac Turn Automation? A field that’s farmed with remarkable accuracy and efficiency. Each of these technologies is powerful on its own, but together they deliver the highest level of precision and consistency across your operation.
If there were a “dream team” for advanced guidance, this would be it — and AutoTrac Implement Guidance is the piece that brings it all together, keeping the implement on track and performing at its best, even in hilly ground.
These tools also open the door to more precise farming practices, like inter row seeding. And now, a “Copy” button within the AutoPath (Boundaries) setup screen in the John Deere Operations Center makes it even easier to set up your plans for success year after year.
Plus, using it is simple. Here’s a quick rundown:
1. Once in the Operations Center:
Best practice: Use the same correction signal the boundary was recorded in to complete your field work.
2. Create your year one guidance plan.
Best practice: Using the Align to Boundary method gives you the ideal first pass and the most efficient overall plan.
3. Save your work, then select “Copy” to create an identical AutoPath (Boundaries) plan for that field.
4. With the copied plan open, shift the guidance lines by half of your implement's row spacing.
The guidance lines in the even year plan align with the north side of the field and the yellow arrows show the direction of travel. The odd year plan was shifted ½ the implement’s track spacing (inward and to the south), so the new guidance lines are directly in the center of last year’s rows. The gray arrows show the direction of travel. Notice again, that in both years, the seeder drives each guidance line in the same direction. This is key for keeping row spacing consistent and maintaining the inter row pattern over time.
The precision and ease behind this farming practice only happens when AutoPath, AutoTrac Implement Guidance, and AutoTrac Turn Automation work together as one system. All three of these powerful technologies are available with an Automation 4.0 or G5 Advanced license on your Gen4 or G5 display.
Ask your dealer for a demo and see the difference in person.
Product features are based on published information at the time of publication. Product features are subject to change without notice. Contact your local John Deere dealer for more information.