FS22 AutoDrive – How to Use it and Download Guide

AutoDrive is here. It’s one of the best automation mods for Farming Simulator 22 (FS22.) There are FS17 and FS19 versions of the mod. FS22 AutoDrive is better and more extensive than ever.

You’ll find the tutorials I’ve made for the FS22 version on this page. I’ll also tell you where you should go to download the mod.

To be clear, AutoDrive for FS22 is only available for players on PC and Mac.

What is AutoDrive?

AutoDrive is a free mod for FS22. It lets you record routes and set targets for vehicles on any map in the game.

After you’ve created a network of routes and targets, you can hire drivers that will drive the routes automatically to targets set by you.

The routes can have multiple functions.

• You can use them for pure transport from point A to B.
• They can be used to unload harvesters or fill silage clamps.
• Another helpful feature is how they can be used for selling crops and goods.

Think of it like this: Almost anything you can do with vehicles outside fields, AutoDrive can do automatically.

Dump Giants Software’s AI Helpers?

So, should you fire Giants Software’s AI helpers and use AutoDrive instead? Well, it depends.

• If you only use automated drivers to move vehicles and equipment from point A to B, stick with Giants’ option for simplicity.
• The answer is the same if you now and then use Giants’ AI drivers to sell stuff.
• However, if you demand more of your helpers, like unloading combines and other harvesters, and filling up silage clamps, definitively go with AutoDrive.

Where to Download FS22 AutoDrive

The AutoDrive mod is developed by Stephan Schlosser, also known as Balu. He shares his mods on GitHub during development while waiting to be included in the Giants Software’s modhub.

You should only download the mod from Stephan’s GitHub. That’s the only surefire option that you get the latest version and that no one has hacked the script or made it useless.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Visit AutoDrive on GitHub.
2. Locate the latest release (under Releases.)
3. Download the file called FS22_AutoDrive.zip to your mods folder.

Don’t forget to activate the mod before starting a new game save.

AutoDrive Guides

Now that you’ve downloaded and installed the mod, it’s time to put it to work. Are you unsure how to use the mod?

Before starting using AutoDrive, you need to create the routes and the targets. Here is my guide on how to create an AutoDrive (AD) network:

• How to Record AD Routes and Set Targets.

After you’ve done creating your network, come back to this page. Below are my tips on how to make the most of the routes.

Open AutoDrive In-Game

Once you’ve installed and activated AutoDrive (AD), you’re ready to use it.

However, before you access the AD HUD and all its goodies, you’ll probably notice this question:

“Should AutoDrive generate a route of network from the traffic and helper data on the map?”

If you click Yes, AutoDrive uses the existing traffic and AI driver splines to create an initial network of routes.

• It’s not 100 % perfect but is still a great starting point for expanding the network.
• The message only appears once on new game saves.

I talk a lot more about creating route networks in the tutorial above. Now, let’s get back to the HUD, right?

Opening the HUD

So, how do I access AD inside the game, you might ask? I’m glad you asked.

When you start a new game save, you won’t probably see the HUD. Here’s how you open it:

• Get inside a vehicle, as the HUD is only visible when your character is inside them.
• Press Alt + Numpad 0 on your keyboard.
• Want to hide the HUD? Press Alt + Numpad 0 once more.

Once the HUD is visible, you can access all the mod’s features. It might not look like much, but I promise you some significant opportunities are waiting under the surface.

You Need the Mouse Pointer

To start using all the features, you need to make the mouse pointer visible. You’ll use it to navigate the menu.

Here’s how you activate the mouse pointer:

• Click the mouse wheel. Note that you can’t move the player camera while the pointer is active.
• To deactivate the pointer, press the mouse wheel again.

Moving the HUD Around

Don’t like the default position of the AutoDrive HUD? You can move it around to a better position.

• Make sure that the mouse pointer is visible.
• Now, use your mouse to drag the HUD to a more suitable location.

Explanation of the HUD

The HUD is the brain of the AutoDrive mod. It has two modes:

• Recording.
• Driving.

Driving Mode

Here are the functions of each of the HUD elements when the Driving mode is activated:

1. This button extends the HUD with an info section containing tips on using some features.
2. Pressing the X hides the HUD. Press Alt + Numpad 0 to make it visible again.
3. The dropdown menu contains all the targets you’ve created.
4. Here, you can set the field speed for each vehicle. Hover the mouse pointer over the icon, scroll the mouse wheel up or down to set the speed.
5. This button opens the settings menu. You can also access it by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 0.
6. Toggles the Edit and Recoding mode on or off. The mode is activated once the sign gets colors.
7. Road speed. Hover the mouse pointer over the icon, scroll the mouse wheel to set your vehicle’s maximum road speed.
8. The loop counter. It lets you set how many times a driver shall drive a route. 1—9 times or infinite.
9. When you press this button, the AI drive will park the vehicle at a destination set by you.
10. Clicking this button tells the AI driver to continue to the next target.
11. Change mode. AutoDrive has 5 different driving modes (see below.) Here, you choose which one your hired driver shall use.
12. When you click on this, you either start the AI driver or stop them.

Edit and Recording Mode

When you press button 6, you activate or deactivate the Edit and Recording Mode. Once it’s active, a new set of controls appears:

1. Starts and stops the recording of waypoints.
2. This button opens the Route Manager, where you can import and export your routes.
3. You can turn a waypoint into a target by giving it a name when you press this button. It also lets you edit the name of existing targets.
4. This button lets you delete a waypoint once the vehicle has connected to it.
5. Another option for editing targets. First, select an existing target from the dropdown menu, then click the button to edit it.

I go more into detail on how you record routes and set targets in the guide above. I’ll soon show you how AutoDrive can make your time in FS22 much easier, but first, let’s talk about the settings.

Tweak Important Settings

Now, let’s move on to some of the settings you might want to tweak before using AutoDrive (AD.) And some tips that will reduce the amount of hassle and frustration.

Speed Settings

I know. Going from A to B as fast as possible might give you what you want sooner. However, it might also get you into trouble while using AD.

The risk of AI drivers colliding or flipping over is reduced when speeds are low. Maximum speeds are set in the HUD.

See the two gauges in the HUD?

They are used to set the max speeds for the individual vehicle, meaning you have to set the value separately for each vehicle.

• The button, showing a gauge and a combine, sets the field speed.
• Button number two, the one with just the gauge, sets the max speed everywhere else.

This is how you use them:

• Activate the mouse pointer (click on the mouse wheel.)
• Hover the pointer over the speed button of your choice.
• Scroll the mouse wheel up or down to reach your desired max speed.

Here are my recommended speeds, based on many hours of trial and error:

• Set the maximum field speed to 25—30 kilometers per hour, 16—19 miles per hour.
• A safe and sound road speed is between 30—45 kph, 19—28 mph.

Reduce Turning Speeds

AI drivers might overshoot the route in turns, colliding with other vehicles or jackknife.

You can decide how fast an AI driver can go in turns. All you need to do is enter the vehicle you want to use with AD and open the settings menu (Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 0.)

• Now, go into the Vehicle Settings.
• Look for corner speed.
• I’ve had great results reducing the value to 65—70 %.

Other Settings

AutoDrive (AD) for FS22 has a lot of settings. They are available in the settings menu. You can open the menu by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 0.

Here are some of the most important ones and what they do:

Vehicle Settings

Unload fill level – Used with the Unload Combine mode. Once the trailer reaches the fill level set here, the driver drives to unload.

Field exit – Here, you can tell the unloader vehicle how it should exit the field. I think Behind Start works best out of the three options (Default, Behind Start, Closest point).

Restrict pathfinder to field – If set to No, AD will include areas outside the field edges when calculating paths. If Yes, the calculation is limited to the field boundaries.

Restrict unloader to field – No means that the vehicle can be driven outside the field edges during unloading.

Avoid fruit – Yes, you guessed right. If you set this option to Yes, AD will try to stay clear of the crop in the field when calculating routes.

Park in field – Yes, it allows the vehicle to be parked in the field after unloading a combine and waiting for another call.

User Settings

Most of the settings under User Settings impact the AD HUD and in-game notifications. However, there are a couple of settings that you might find helpful during active use of the mod:

Show markers – If you set it to Yes, all the targets will be displayed as symbols on the in-game maps.

Switch to markers – When Yes, you can click on the targets displayed on the map to set the different targets for the driving modes.

Settings

On this page, you get to dive deep into the AutoDrive (AD) core to specify how the mod shall behave.

Look ahead distance (turn) – How far the vehicle “looks” ahead to adjust to upcoming turns.

Maximum detour – In reality, this setting determines how relaxed the pathfinding shall be. The higher the number, the more likely the vehicle reaches its destination.

The trade-off? It might take several detours to get there.

If silo empty – Determine how drivers in the Pickup and deliver mode handle empty silos.

Driver Wages – Values from 0 % to 1,000 % are available.

Collision detection – If you enable this, you reduce the driver’s risk of driving into trees, cars, and other objects.

Collisionheight over ground – If you have collision detection enabled, you can tweak it here if the vehicle still collides with other vehicles or objects.

Pathfinder factor – The higher the number, the more computing resources are used to find good routes. Be careful with this one. Using a lot of CPU power in pathfinding might impact performance negatively.

The 5 Driving Modes

AutoDrive (AD) in FS22 has 5 driving modes. Here’s a short explanation of each:

1. Drive – The AI driver takes the vehicle from point A to B. For this to work, you only have to set the end target.

2. Pickup and Deliver – The driver loads at one target and delivers at another.

You need to set both the loading and delivery targets before sending the driver on its way. You can also select the fill type the driver shall pick up.

Use the Loop Counter to set the number of round trips.

3. Deliver – The driver will unload what’s already in the trailer or the equipment at the target. They’ll also end the trip at the same target.

4. Load – This mode is similar to Pickup and Deliver. However, the AI Driver won’t return to get another load.

The mode is perfect for refilling equipment in the fields, for example:

1. The first target might be a fertilizer refill station.
2. The Second target is somewhere in a field where other drivers can refill their spreaders.

5. Unload Combine – A mode used for almost any harvester in FS22.

1. The first target should be in, or close to, the field where the harvester is working.
2. Target 2 should be somewhere to unload the crops, like a farm silo or a selling point.

The AD driver will drive to the field and wait for the harvester to call for them. Once called for, they’ll use pathfinding to get to the harvester.

In other words, they’ll calculate how to get to the harvester without you having to create routes for it.

Once the fill level is reached, the driver will continue to the unloading target, offload, and return to the field.

You’ll find a more detailed guide on setting up the Unload Combine mode and others below.

Give Drivers a Target

First and foremost, your AI drivers won’t go anywhere with AD unless you give them a target. No target, no driving. It would be best if you also gave them a purpose.

In all simplicity, this is how you get things moving:

1. Pick a target from the HUD’s dropdown menu.
2. Select one of the 5 driving modes.
3. Send the driver away.

Sell or Move Crops with AutoDrive

AutoDrive (AD) can be used to sell crops. It can also be used for moving crops from your farm silo to another storage, for example.

In this quick guide, I’ll show you how to do it. (If you don’t know how to create the necessary waypoints and targets, please check out my guide on creating AD networks first.)

Necessary Targets

To sell or move crops with AD, you’ll use the Pickup and Deliver mode. The AI helper driving the mode needs two targets:

• A Loading Target – This is where the driver is supposed to fill its trailer, for instance, your farm silo.
• The Delivery Target – The mode also requires an unloading point, such as a selling point.

How to Set Up the Job

Get inside the vehicle you’re going to use for this job. Make sure that the HUD is visible (Alt + Numpad 0.) Also, you’ll need the mouse pointer (click the mouse wheel.)

1. Select the Pickup and Deliver driving mode.
2. Set the loading target in the first dropdown menu.
3. Add the delivery target in the second dropdown menu.
4. Here, you’ll set the fill type.
5. This is where you set how many roundtrips the driver should do.

If you choose ∞ (infinity), the driver will continue driving until the loading target is empty.

Finally, send the driver off by pressing the Power button (6.)

Unload Combines with AutoDrive

You can use AutoDrive (AD) to unload combines, sugarbeet harvesters, potato harvesters, and so on.

This tutorial will show you how to use AD to empty harvesters with crop tanks or other storage compartments.

This works under the following conditions:

• You drive the harvester yourself.
• A base game AI driver operates the harvester.
• Courseplay controls the harvester.

I also assume that you already know how to record AD routes and set targets.

Setting up the Driver

1. First, choose the Unload Combine mode in the HUD when you’re inside the unloader vehicle.

Now, the AutoDrive driver needs two targets:

2. Load Target – A waiting target inside or near the field where the harvester is working.

3. Unload Target – Target two is where the AI driver shall unload.

Now, Press the power button to have the AI helper start driving.

If your routes are connected, it really doesn’t matter where they start driving from.

Setting up the Harvester

You also need to set up the harvester, no matter who’s driving it. You see, the harvester also needs to have the same Load Targetactivated inside its version of AD as the AI driver.

This ensures that the AI unloading driver knows which harvester they shall unload.

It’s enough to load the Load Target in the drive mode.

Calling for the Unloader

The unloading driver will wait for a call before driving to the combine. Opening the unloading pipe or conveyor is the signal they are waiting for.

• If other AI drivers control the harvester, they’ll open the pipe automatically.
• However, if you’re driving the harvester yourself, just open the pipe manually when you want to unload.

More Guides

Looking for more guides on how to use different FS22 mods? Click here.