John Deere is reportedly in the process of implementing 5G connectivity at several of its Midwest manufacturing facilities, with a focus on utilizing real-time data and autonomy.

In September of last year, John Deere won 5 Citizen Broadband Radio Service, or CBRS, spectrum licenses in an auction put on by the FCC. In a later press release, Deere stated it planned to use these licenses to “accelerate the availability of 5G in its largest manufacturing facilities in North America.”

During the 2021 Consumer Electronics Show, Ag Equipment Intelligence editors caught up with Tami Hedgren, manufacturing lead for tractors and combines at Deere, to talk about what the future holds for Deere and its 5G implementation.

Hedgren explains that Deere’s licenses cover multiple factories across the Midwest, including its Des Moines Works, Waterloo Works and Harvester Works facilities. She says 5G connectivity will allow Deere to gain more from its connected devices in its factories and replace its current hard-wired system of ethernet cables.