Operation principle of the trailer tow assist
Trailer tow assist is a trailer maneuvering aid that alleviates the challenge of reversing a trailer in stressful, counter-intuitive maneuvering situations. When a trailer is hitched, an image of the intended path of the trailer is displayed to the driver. With the turn of a knob or touch on a display screen, the driver selects the intended path of the backing trailer and thereby starts the maneuver. While the system is steering, the driver stays in control of the speed with the accelerator or brake.
Trailer tow assist uses a single near-range camera mounted in the rear of the vehicle to determine the angle of the trailer. Calibration of the trailer is easy and does not require a target sticker.
The system calculates the proper steering angle and dynamics to guide the trailer along a selected path. The system sends a control signal to the electric power steering unit to control the reversing vehicle and trailer. The driver can dynamically update the path or can maintain a straight line over long distances while reversing.
Our enhanced version allows the driver to make 90° maneuvers for operation in tight areas while avoiding jack-knifing.