John Deere will add new automation, digital and machine updates to its 2026 model combines that the manufacturer promises will deliver efficiency, crop insights and ease of operation across a variety of harvesting conditions.
In this report from Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado, Bergen Nelson, John Deere go-to-market manager for harvesting equipment, says the updates will help farmers throughout the harvest season. “From improving the grain-unloading experience to solutions that help increase the combine working time, these updates are designed to help farmers work in those often-tight harvest windows,” he says.
Deere’s predictive ground speed automation debuted in its 2025 combines. It measures crop variability ahead of the combine for controlling ground speed. Two factory-mounted stereo cameras look ahead and measure crop height and stay in front of the cutter bar. Satellite views help generate predictive yield maps based on midseason biomass results. The company says these systems create a more productive and smoother harvesting experience, which allows less skilled operators to maintain grain quality.
For 2026, predictive ground speed automation will incorporate the unique features of waterways, ditches or terraces so operators will not have to disengage the feature when entering field areas that feature this terrain.
Bergen notes that ground speed automation will also add weed detection sensing. In addition to sensing crop height and mass, cab-mounted cameras will now also sense individual weed patches that are mixed in with the crop by detecting weed-like characteristics of plant shape and height. Depending on the weed density and operator-defined sensitivity, the combine will reduce ground speed as it harvests through these areas to reduce slugging and helping prevent reel or rotor wrapping.
Bergen also looks at the new grain cart auto-unload feature that uses a camera mounted to the auger to sense the grain fill level inside the cart to automate in-line nudge commands on the tractor to evenly fill the cart. He says the auto-unload camera, and supporting hardware and software, will help to consistently fill grain carts and possibly reduce in-field spills. Watch the video below.
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