# The Rapid Advance Of Auto-Steer

Author: Jim.Robinson
Published: 2008-05-09
Canonical URL: https://www.cottongrower.com/cotton-news/the-rapid-advance-of-auto-steer/

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Earlier this week, I got an email from my friends at *AgriMarketing* magazine about some research conducted by [Caledonia Solutions](http://www.caledoniasolutions.com/). The headline reads, "GPS Steering The Fastest Technology Adoption in History of Agriculture." Hopefully, this is not a stunning announcement for most of you, because you are currently enjoying the benefits of this technology. I remember taking my first real test drive in 2003 in a [Case IH](http://www.caseih.com/) tractor pulling a tiller. I tried it without, then with, and had to imagine a farmer who’d prefer to tug on a flailing steering wheel for 12 hours.

The release lists a number of factors that have driven what you would generally call the "late majority" to adopt automatic steering in record rapid fashion — recent input and crop price increases, better manufacturing and compatibility, lower price points, but the power of that "Ah Ha!" moment — when you realize what an incredible burden steering a tractor through a field can be, and how much more pleasurable and productive field work is when you’re only touching the wheel at the turn row — that is what I think has allowed this technology to move at historic proportions.

Got an automatic steering "Ah Ha!" moment of your own, or any thoughts to share? Feel free to comment below.