Automatic Gear

The Automatic Gear is a ship part in Pikmin. It chugs along at its own pace and it makes piloting easier, giving Captain Olimar time to concentrate on finer points of space travel. When collected, this part does not change the S.S. Dolphin's appearance.

In, 6 Automatic Gears must be collected across the four areas of Olimar's Shipwreck Tale.

In Pikmin
The Automatic Gear is found in The Forest Navel, on a ledge near the landing site, where a climbing stick must be built to get to it. As it is in a high place, Pikmin can lose their flowers when they fall off the edge while carrying it. The tilted ship part glitch can also occur due to the long drop.

To avoid your Pikmin getting deflowered, you can call them back just as they are walking off the edge. Another useful method is to simply walk away. If the Pikmin are out of the view of the camera, they will not get deflowered. This technique is also useful for getting other ship parts in the game. Due to several Shearwigs being in the area where the Pikmin fall, you must take precautions to ensure no Pikmin deaths.

Fiery Blowhogs can also wander into the drop point of the part later in the day, so it may be a good idea to use Red Pikmin. If doing a speedrun, have your Pikmin work on collecting this part while you discover the Blue Pikmin, as the Blue Onion and the part are very close together.

Sun-Speckled Terrace
The Automatic Gear is in the north of the area, inside an Arachnode web. You can reach the Arachnode from either direction, but before you kill it, make sure to also dispatch a nearby Puffy Blowhog.

The carrying path for this part depends greatly on which structures you have built or destroyed so far in the Terrace. Predict the path carefully and kill any enemies that might threaten your Pikmin along the way.

Blossoming Arcadia
The Automatic Gear is in a niche south of the Misshapen Pond landing site. From the opposite edge of the nearby mud pit, go along the blue pipe and you will find the part inside a stack of toy blocks. Throw 15 Pikmin to dig it up. It is easiest to retrieve the part using Yellow Pikmin, but any type can reach it if you position Olimar or Moss on top of the mound near the toy blocks.

Serene Shores
There are three Automatic Gears in this area.

For the first gear, go to the beach near the Water's Edge landing site and proceed left into a flooded passage. This corridor leads to a Bug-Eyed Crawmad which has an Automatic Gear in its stomach. To ensure the Pikmin's safety as they carry the part back, it is recommended to kill the Aristocrab Offsprings on the previously mentioned beach.

For the second, go west into an open space where a Yellow Wollyhop and a Masterhop reside. Kill these enemies and proceed until you find a buried Automatic Gear in the right corner.

For the third, go to The Sand Keep landing site and kill the Sovereign Bulblax. Once the boss is dead, build the climbing wall a bit to the east. It is recommended to move your base to The Sand Keep for two reasons: doing so creates a much shorter path for your Pikmin to retrieve necessary raw material from the S.S. Dolphin, and eases retrieval of the Secret Safe which the Bulblax drops upon death. Beyond the climbing wall, an Automatic Gear lies amid a few bubble geysers. Destroy the geysers with any Pikmin type before you let them carry the part.

Hero's Hideaway
After you have defeated the area's Gildemander, push down the two cardboard boxes leading from the eastern section of the area to the left. Kill the Tusked Blowhog between said boxes and the Feasting Centre landing site, and move your base there.

Having completed these tasks, take out at least 30 Pikmin for Olimar. Leave Moss behind and go through a hole in the wall next to the landing site mentioned previously. The tunnel leads to a moving platform that takes Olimar down to a raised desk. On the far end of this desk, an Automatic Gear lies near a Miniature Snootwhacker. Moss cannot go through the hole with Olimar, so the best option here is to stun the enemy with an item such as a Bomb Rock or Ice Blast. If no such items are available, distract the enemy with Olimar while your Pikmin carry the part.

Trivia

 * A very early Treasure Hoard icon for the Omega Flywheel resembles the Automatic Gear, but is yellow instead.
 * Interestingly, the Automatic Gear in is yellow and gray, making it moreso resemble the early Omega Flywheel.