Automation in Crop Production - State-of-the-art und where to we go from here ?

There is no prescription for Automation in crop production at all. Draft control in tractors and auto steer in self propelled harvesters, lately in tractors, are predominantly used automation technologies in crop farming worldwide today and tomorrow. Automated variable rate control is still one-dimensional based on maps or online sensors and has to be multi-dimensional. Automation in self propelled technology is well accepted on farm level when it comes from “one hand” even if this are small autonomous vehicles. Sensors and sensor fusion offer a wide range for automation if they are standardized members in an electronic communication environment. Improved crop production needs standardized tractor implement management (TIM) systems for optimized field work. Automatic data acquisition systems and web services allow for “Automation in cloud farming of tomorrow”.