diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS.h b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS.h
index ccbaf93528..384d7daccc 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS.h
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@
 #include "AP_GPS_MTK.h"
 #include "AP_GPS_IMU.h"
 #include "AP_GPS_None.h"
-
+#include "AP_GPS_Auto.h"
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_406.h b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_406.h
index c69ed2180b..39b6e55164 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_406.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_406.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class AP_GPS_406 : public AP_GPS_SIRF
 public:
     // Methods
 	AP_GPS_406(Stream *port);
-	void		init();
+	void		init(void);
 
 private:
 	void		_change_to_sirf_protocol(void);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_Auto.cpp b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_Auto.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63ee4cc040
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_Auto.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+// -*- tab-width: 4; Mode: C++; c-basic-offset: 4; indent-tabs-mode: t -*-
+//
+// Auto-detecting pseudo-GPS driver
+//
+
+#include "AP_GPS.h"
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <wiring.h>
+
+static unsigned int	baudrates[] = {38400U, 57600U, 9600U, 4800U};
+
+GPS *
+AP_GPS_Auto::detect(void)
+{
+	GPS		*gps;
+	int		i;
+
+	// loop trying to find a GPS
+	for (;;) {
+		// loop through possible baudrates
+		for (i = 0; i < (sizeof(baudrates) / sizeof(baudrates[0])); i++) {
+			printf("autodetect at %d:%u\n", i, baudrates[i]);
+			_port->begin(baudrates[i]);
+			if (NULL != (gps = _detect()))
+				return(gps);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+//
+// Perform one iteration of the auto-detection process.
+//
+GPS *
+AP_GPS_Auto::_detect(void)
+{
+	unsigned long then;
+	int		fingerprint[4];
+	int		tries;
+	GPS		*gps;
+
+	//
+	// Loop attempting to detect a recognised GPS
+	//
+	gps = NULL;
+	for (tries = 0; tries < 2; tries++) {
+
+		//
+		// Empty the serial buffer and wait for 50ms of quiet.
+		//
+		// XXX We can detect babble by counting incoming characters, but
+		//     what would we do about it?
+		//
+		_port->flush();
+		then = millis();
+		do {
+			if (_port->available()) {
+				then = millis();
+				_port->read();
+			}
+		} while ((millis() - then) < 50);
+			
+		//
+		// Collect four characters to fingerprint a device
+		//
+		fingerprint[0] = _getc();
+		fingerprint[1] = _getc();
+		fingerprint[2] = _getc();
+		fingerprint[3] = _getc();
+		printf("fingerprints 0x%02x 0x%02x 0x%02x 0x%02x\n",
+			   fingerprint[0],
+			   fingerprint[1],
+			   fingerprint[2],
+			   fingerprint[3]);
+
+		//
+		// u-blox or MTK in DIYD binary mode (whose smart idea was
+		// it to make the MTK look sort-of like it was talking UBX?)
+		//
+		if ((0xb5 == fingerprint[0]) &&
+			(0x62 == fingerprint[1]) && 
+			(0x01 == fingerprint[2])) {
+
+			// message 5 is MTK pretending to talk UBX
+			if (0x05 == fingerprint[3]) {
+				printf("detected MTK in binary mode\n");
+				gps = new AP_GPS_MTK(_port);
+				break;
+			}
+
+			// any other message is u-blox
+			printf("detected u-blox in binary mode\n");
+			gps = new AP_GPS_UBLOX(_port);
+			break;
+		} 
+
+		//
+		// SIRF in binary mode
+		//
+		if ((0xa0 == fingerprint[0]) &&
+			(0xa2 == fingerprint[1])) {
+			printf("detected SIRF in binary mode\n");
+			gps = new AP_GPS_SIRF(_port);
+			break;
+		}
+
+		//
+		// If we haven't spammed the various init strings, send them now
+		// and retry to avoid a false-positive on the NMEA detector.
+		//
+		if (0 == tries) {
+			printf("sending setup strings and trying again\n");
+			_port->println(MTK_SET_BINARY);
+			_port->println(UBLOX_SET_BINARY);
+			_port->println(SIRF_SET_BINARY);
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		//
+		// Something talking NMEA
+		//
+		if (('$' == fingerprint[0]) &&
+			(('G' == fingerprint[1]) || ('P' == fingerprint[1]))) {
+
+			// XXX this may be a bit presumptive, might want to give the GPS a couple of
+			//     iterations around the loop to react to init strings?
+			printf("detected NMEA\n");
+			gps = new AP_GPS_NMEA(_port);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// If we detected a GPS, call its init routine
+	if (NULL != gps) {
+		gps->print_errors = true;	// XXX
+		gps->init();
+	}
+	return(gps);
+}
+
+int
+AP_GPS_Auto::_getc(void)
+{
+	while (0 == _port->available())
+		;
+	return(_port->read());
+}
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_Auto.h b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_Auto.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..72b42cbdd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_Auto.h
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+// -*- tab-width: 4; Mode: C++; c-basic-offset: 4; indent-tabs-mode: t -*-
+//
+// Auto-detecting pseudo-GPS driver
+//
+
+#ifndef AP_GPS_Auto_h
+#define AP_GPS_Auto_h
+
+#include <GPS.h>
+#include <FastSerial.h>
+
+class AP_GPS_Auto
+{
+public:
+	/// Constructor
+	///
+	/// @note The stream is expected to be set up and configured for the
+	///       correct bitrate before ::init is called.
+	///
+	/// @param	port	Stream connected to the GPS module.
+	/// @param	ptr		Pointer to a GPS * that will be fixed up by ::init
+	///					when the GPS type has been detected.
+	///
+	AP_GPS_Auto(FastSerial *port = NULL) : _port(port)	{};
+
+	/// Detect and initialise the attached GPS unit.  Returns a
+	/// pointer to the allocated & initialised GPS driver.
+	///
+	GPS		*detect(void);
+
+private:
+	/// Serial port connected to the GPS.
+	FastSerial	*_port;
+
+	/// low-level auto-detect routine
+	///
+	GPS			*_detect(void);
+
+	/// fetch a character from the port
+	///
+	int			_getc(void);
+};
+#endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_MTK.cpp b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_MTK.cpp
index aa1eebc225..dbe96f6352 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_MTK.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_MTK.cpp
@@ -22,8 +22,12 @@ AP_GPS_MTK::AP_GPS_MTK(Stream *s) : GPS(s)
 // Public Methods //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void AP_GPS_MTK::init(void)
 {	
+	_port->flush();
 	// initialize serial port for binary protocol use
+	// XXX should assume binary, let GPS_AUTO handle dynamic config?
 	_port->print(MTK_SET_BINARY);
+
+	// set 4Hz update rate
 	_port->print(MTK_OUTPUT_4HZ);
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_MTK.h b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_MTK.h
index 5f032b62a6..a69dca60df 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_MTK.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_MTK.h
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@
 class AP_GPS_MTK : public GPS {
 public:
 	AP_GPS_MTK(Stream *s);
-	void		init();
-	void		update();
+	virtual void	init(void);
+	virtual void	update(void);
 
 private:
 #pragma pack(1)
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_None.h b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_None.h
index f3a3d9b11a..23f242b59c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_None.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_None.h
@@ -7,5 +7,7 @@
 
 class AP_GPS_None : public GPS
 {
+	virtual void init(void) {};
+	virtual void update(void) {};
 };
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_SIRF.cpp b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_SIRF.cpp
index 20280e92c4..f1fe5e9f5c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_SIRF.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_SIRF.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,13 @@ AP_GPS_SIRF::AP_GPS_SIRF(Stream *s) : GPS(s)
 // Public Methods //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void AP_GPS_SIRF::init(void)
 {	
-	// For modules that default to something other than SiRF binary,
-	// the module-specific subclass should take care of switching to binary mode.
+	_port->flush();
 
+	// For modules that default to something other than SiRF binary,
+	// the module-specific subclass should take care of switching to binary mode
+	// before calling us.
+
+	// send SiRF binary setup messages
 	_port->write(init_messages, sizeof(init_messages));
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_SIRF.h b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_SIRF.h
index c1ddeee5a9..ce3ff454be 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_SIRF.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_SIRF.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 #include <GPS.h>
 
+#define SIRF_SET_BINARY	"$PSRF100,0,38400,8,1,0*3C"
+
 class AP_GPS_SIRF : public GPS {
 public:
 	AP_GPS_SIRF(Stream *s);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_UBLOX.cpp b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_UBLOX.cpp
index b49d01c376..cd2541d118 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_UBLOX.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_UBLOX.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ void AP_GPS_UBLOX::init(void)
 {
 	// XXX it might make sense to send some CFG_MSG,CFG_NMEA messages to get the 
 	// right reporting configuration.
+
+	_port->flush();
 }
 
 // Process bytes available from the stream
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_UBLOX.h b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_UBLOX.h
index dfbce36ca7..ce905a85e8 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_UBLOX.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/AP_GPS_UBLOX.h
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@
 
 #include <GPS.h>
 
+#define UBLOX_SET_BINARY	"$PUBX,41,1,0003,0001,38400,0*26"
+
 class AP_GPS_UBLOX : public GPS
 {
 public:
     // Methods
-	AP_GPS_UBLOX(Stream *s);
-	void		init();
+	AP_GPS_UBLOX(Stream *s = NULL);
+	void		init(void);
 	void		update();
 
 private:
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/GPS.cpp b/libraries/AP_GPS/GPS.cpp
index 011e40d77b..99f3ad2b86 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/GPS.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/GPS.cpp
@@ -4,16 +4,6 @@
 #include "WProgram.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-void
-GPS::init(void)
-{
-}
-
-void
-GPS::update(void)
-{
-}
-
 void
 GPS::_setTime(void){
 	_lastTime = millis();
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/GPS.h b/libraries/AP_GPS/GPS.h
index 8f48671b88..ec81b977ec 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_GPS/GPS.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/GPS.h
@@ -20,22 +20,27 @@ public:
 	/// @note The stream is expected to be set up and configured for the
 	///       correct bitrate before ::init is called.
 	///
-	/// @param	port	Stream connected to the GPS module.
+	/// @param	s	Stream connected to the GPS module.  If NULL, assumed
+	///				to be set up at ::init time.  Support for setting 
+	///				the port in the ctor for backwards compatibility.
 	///
-	GPS(Stream *port = NULL) : _port(port) {};
+	GPS(Stream *s = NULL) : _port(s) {};
 
 	/// Startup initialisation.
 	///
 	/// This routine performs any one-off initialisation required to set the
 	/// GPS up for use.
 	///
-	virtual void	init();
+	/// @param	s	Stream connected to the GPS module.  If NULL, assumed to
+	///				have been set up at constructor time.
+	///
+	virtual void	init(void) = 0;
 
 	/// Update GPS state based on possible bytes received from the module.
 	///
 	/// This routine must be called periodically to process incoming data.
 	///
-	virtual void	update();
+	virtual void	update(void) = 0;
 
 	// Properties
 	long	time;			///< GPS time in milliseconds from the start of the week
diff --git a/libraries/AP_GPS/examples/GPS_AUTO_test/GPS_AUTO_test.pde b/libraries/AP_GPS/examples/GPS_AUTO_test/GPS_AUTO_test.pde
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2491d4697a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_GPS/examples/GPS_AUTO_test/GPS_AUTO_test.pde
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+//
+// Test for AP_GPS_AUTO
+//
+
+#include <FastSerial.h>
+#include <AP_GPS.h>
+
+FastSerialPort0(Serial);
+FastSerialPort1(Serial1);
+
+GPS	    *gps;
+AP_GPS_Auto GPS(&Serial1);
+
+#define T6 1000000
+#define T7 10000000
+
+void setup()
+{
+	Serial.begin(38400);
+	Serial1.begin(38400);
+
+	Serial.println("GPS AUTO library test");
+	gps = GPS.detect();		 // GPS Initialization
+	delay(1000);
+}
+void loop()
+{
+	delay(20);
+	gps->update();
+	if (gps->new_data){
+		Serial.print("gps:");
+		Serial.print(" Lat:");
+		Serial.print((float)gps->latitude / T7, DEC);
+		Serial.print(" Lon:");
+		Serial.print((float)gps->longitude / T7, DEC);
+		Serial.print(" Alt:");
+		Serial.print((float)gps->altitude / 100.0, DEC);
+		Serial.print(" GSP:");
+		Serial.print(gps->ground_speed / 100.0);
+		Serial.print(" COG:");
+		Serial.print(gps->ground_course / 100.0, DEC);
+		Serial.print(" SAT:");
+		Serial.print(gps->num_sats, DEC);
+		Serial.print(" FIX:");
+		Serial.print(gps->fix, DEC);
+		Serial.print(" TIM:");
+		Serial.print(gps->time, DEC);
+		Serial.println();
+		gps->new_data = 0;
+	}
+}
+