John Deere is introducing a powerful lineup of new automation features and front-end upgrades for its 2026 combines, focused on improving harvesting efficiency and ease of use.
Bergen Nelson, market manager for harvesting equipment, told Farms.com that 2025 brought major updates to the X9 and S Series combines with the launch of predictive ground speed automation and harvest settings automation.
For 2026, those technologies are expanding.
One of the biggest upgrades is weed detection. Cameras on the front of the combine will now detect weedy areas in the field and adjust the machine's speed accordingly.
This new system also creates a weed pressure map in the John Deere Operations Center, helping growers track weed issues for future planning.