When a farmer calls your equipment "the best system we have ever done," you know you've done something right. That’s the exact feedback we got recently after installing the FJD AS2 Steer Ready Autosteering System on a powerful JCB Fastrac 4220 tractor in the UK.
The harvest season and daily farm work demand endless hours of highly accurate driving. Even the best drivers get tired, leading to small mistakes that waste fuel, time, and seed. Autosteering takes the hard work out of driving, allowing the operator to focus on the implement and the quality of the job.
Our goal was to integrate the AS2 system so smoothly that it felt like it came straight from the JCB factory—and based on the customer's reaction, we hit the mark. This success story isn't just about cool technology; it's about making farming easier, safer, and incredibly precise.
Meeting the Machine: The Legendary JCB Fastrac 4220
Before diving into technology, let's talk about the impressive tractor we were working with. The JCB Fastrac 4220 is not an average farm machine. It’s known as a high-speed agricultural tractor because it can safely drive up to 60 kph (about 37 mph) on the road.
Built in 2018, this 4220 model is designed for comfort and performance, featuring a 235-horsepower engine and a modern Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) that ensures smooth speed changes. What really sets it apart is its all-round self-levelling suspension for a smooth ride and advanced safety features like all-round disc brakes with Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)—it's built to be fast, but also very safe.
It also comes with 4-wheel steering, which allows for incredibly tight turns in the field. This unique design required a smart autosteering solution, and the FJD AS2 system proved to be the perfect match.
Why the FJD AS2 Is the Perfect Fit?
The FJD AS2 Steer Ready Autosteering System is specifically designed for tractors like the Fastrac model that are already "steer-ready." This means the tractor already has the necessary parts inside to accept signals from an external steering system like the AS2. Here are what make the AS2 a perfect fit for the JCB Fastrac 4220:
Plug and Play
Because the tractor is already steer-ready, we don't have to rip out the original steering wheel or mess with installing new hydraulic valves. The AS2 simply plugs seamlessly into the existing port. This keeps the installation simple and keeps the cab looking almost exactly the same as before.
Minimal Parts
The AS2 system is compact, using just a single control terminal (the screen) and the GNSS receiver (the antenna that gets the satellite signal). Farmers can power it right from a direct source inside the cab, eliminating messy external wiring.
Easy Switching
Because of this simplified design, farmers don't need to do difficult, repeated calibrations when they switch between different farm tools, saving a huge amount of time. It’s all about unlocking the tractor's existing steering power with a simple, high-performance upgrade.
Seamless Control and Smart Features
The real magic happens when the FJD AS2 is fully integrated into the Fastrac tractor's controls. We worked with the operator to assign the activation of the autosteer to a specific control. In this case, a joystick button. This makes turning the system on and off incredibly fast and intuitive. Here are the key features that made the biggest difference for the UK farmer:
Instant Manual Takeover
Safety always comes first. The system has manual intervention support. If the operator needs to take over steering quickly for any reason—a sudden obstacle, for example—they just turn the steering wheel. The AS2 instantly switches from auto mode back to manual mode, giving the farmer full control immediately.
Automatic Rear Axle Lock
Since the Fastrac has 4-wheel steering, the rear wheels can turn, too. However, for maximum straight-line accuracy during planting or spraying, those rear wheels need to stay perfectly straight. The FJD system handles this automatically: when autosteering mode is activated, the tractor automatically locks the rear steering axle for incredible precision. When the autosteer is turned off (or the driver takes over), it instantly unlocks. This is a crucial, safety-minded detail that makes the system work "super smooth and nice."
Absolute Road Safety
To prevent accidental activation on public roads, the tractor has a "ROAD OFF" switch. This is a safety function that deactivates the AS2 auto-steering system when the tractor is on a public road to prevent it from steering itself in an unintended manner. This completely deactivates the system, ensuring the tractor can‘t autosteer when the operator is driving between fields.
The Test Verdict: Nearly Zero Deviation
The most impressive result came during our pass-to-pass accuracy test. This test measures how precisely the tractor can drive its next line right beside the previous one. We recorded nearly no deviation whatsoever, meaning zero millimeters of error.
When farmers are dealing with such accuracy, it means their tractor is creating perfect, repeatable lines across the field. This saves the farmers money by preventing overlap (wasting fuel, fertilizer, and seed) and ensuring every inch of the field is covered (maximizing yield).
The ease of use, the seamless integration, and the unbelievable accuracy all contributed to the customer’s final verdict: "This is the best system we have ever done. It worked so well!"
The FJD AS2 is proof that upgrading to high-precision farming technology doesn't have to be complicated. It's a simple, reliable solution that delivers maximum accuracy right where it counts in the field.