In a passenger vehicle, the trailer hitch is usually located low on the rear of the vehicle in a position that is not visible by the driver. The trailer coupling of a trailer that connects to the hitch is located in a similarly low position. To connect the vehicle to the trailer, a driver must position the vehicle such that the trailer hitch is relatively close to the trailer coupling without the benefit of being able to directly view the trailer hitch, the trailer coupling, of any obstructions that may be positioned between the trailer hitch and the trailer coupling. Also, automating this alignment process (e.g., through automatically steeling the vehicle) requires precision. For example, to prevent damage to the vehicle and the trailer, positions of the hitch and coupling must be accurately tracked with limited variances, unlike other automatic vehicle maneuvers, such as parallel parking assistance. Therefore, automated systems for hitch attachment are complex and, consequently; costly to develop.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds