East Central Illinois / West Central Indiana | Some of the posts in this thread concern me. As a dealer I realize that autosteer can be an expensive proposition for many customers ... but do you realize everything that these systems are doing and are capable of?
The Nav II Controller used by Trimble and Case IH is an approx $5000 piece of hardware. It has gyros and accelerometers for roll, pitch, and yaw. It integrates into the CAN-BUS system of the tractor (or uses its own) and talks directly to the hydraulic steering valve. The Nav controller controls the hydraulic valve (not a small task) ... when to open and how much flow to send to the steering cylinder. The Nav controller receives feedback from the steering sensor to be able to better control the front axle. The Nav controller also interprets the GPS signal and corrects your position based off of terrain compensation and vehicle measurements. To top it all off it does all of this in a vehicle that is bouncing through a field in all kinds of different terrain and field conditions. Oh and with all of this you even get the software that had to be written to do all of the above. $5000 seems pretty darn inexpensive when you really think about everything going on in that little silver box.
Now, another thought. To control that Nav controller you are going to need a display. List prices for WAAS Trimble displays are $2995 (FM750), $4995 (FM1000), and $6595 (XCN2050). If all you are doing is using that display for guidance I can see how that would seem expensive. However, all three of those displays have capabilities far beyond steering alone (or at least it will in future software releases in the case of the 2050). Trimble Field IQ is a universal control system for all kinds of implements which provides the capabilities to do rate control, rate monitoring, and section control. The FM1000 and 2050 are also ISO compliant (or will be in future software release). The FM1000 and 2050 have future capabilities for telematics as well. All three display can (or in a future software release) be used as yield monitors. So to wrap it all up ... for the asking prices of $2995, $4995, or $6595 you get a user interface for autosteer, you get Field IQ, you get yield monitoring (unlock required), you get a built in GPS receiver (or two in the case of the FM1000) capable of enhanced correction signals (at additional cost and unlocks) meaning you don't have to purchase additional hardware, and you get software updates. That is an awful, awful lot of value for the asking prices.
Given everything I outlined above please understand that I did not intend this as a rant and that I feel the prices charged are very reasonable. These displays and steering systems are capable of amazing things and many people don't use them to their full potential. |
They are charging too much for auto steer
