Robots are becoming an integral part of society. And even though we don’t have Star Wars level technology yet, robots that help with everything from planting to harvest are just around the corner.

At the Farm Progress show in Iowa, Case demo’d their Autonomous Concept Vehicle, which has no cab for a driver and is able to go from its parking spot to the field and back all by itself. It can be controlled and monitored remotely with a tablet as it moves back and forth across the land, planting, harvesting, etc.

There have been major changes in farming with robotics already, from automated milking machines to aerial drones that do land surveying and spraying. However, this new trend of automation seems to be poised to launch agriculture into areas we have up until now only seen with Tesla and Google with self-driving cars.

In response to the worsening farm labour shortage, farmers in Florida and California are already are testing vehicles that replace repetitive, labour intensive tasks normally done by dozens of farm workers. They are also being tested to do things like harvest apples and strawberries, and do things like take care of weeds.

Although there are still many jobs that can only be done by people, make sure to keep an eye on automation. An early investment in technology has the potential to save you big money down the road. Mortgage specialists will be able to advise on the best course of action to take, from when to buy in, to what you can reasonably expect to afford.