A hitch is provided including a tongue, an insert, and a base. The tongue includes a C-shaped section having an internal spherical raceway and opposing walls, each extending from an opposite arm of the C-shaped section. The insert includes a spherical segment received within the internal spherical raceway and having a draw pin hole, and a projection extending rearward between the opposite arms of the C-shaped section and having a socket recess. The base being pivotally connected to the tongue through the opposing walls. The base includes a ball located in front of the pivotal connection, the ball being received within the socket recess of the insert, and a back end being adapted for connection to a towing implement.

Interested parties would like to know the identity o the semi-truck to which a semi-trailer is coupled. They would like to know when and where the semi-truck was coupled to and uncoupled from the semi-trailer. The embodiments all detect the semi-truck's identity. Some embodiments compute the identity of the semi-truck in environments where multiple semi-trucks are nearby. Some embodiments report the semi-truck's identity by wireless modem to said interested parties. Some embodiments detect and report the geolocation of the semi-trailer.

Interested parties would like to know the identity o the semi-truck to which a semi-trailer is coupled. They would like to know when and where the semi-truck was coupled to and uncoupled from the semi-trailer. The embodiments all detect the semi-truck's identity. Some embodiments compute the identity of the semi-truck in environments where multiple semi-trucks are nearby. Some embodiments report the semi-truck's identity by wireless modem to said interested parties. Some embodiments detect and report the geolocation of the semi-trailer.

The vehicle system can include: a set of vehicle couplings (e.g., a tractor interface, a trailer interface, etc.); a chassis, a battery pack, an electric powertrain, a sensor suite, and a controller. The modular vehicle system can optionally include landing gear, a suspension, and any other suitable set of components. The vehicle system functions to structurally support and/or tow a trailer—such as a Class 8 semi-trailer—and/or to augment/supplement a tractor propulsive capability (e.g., via a diesel/combustion engine) with a supplementary electric drive axle(s).

The vehicle system can include: a set of vehicle couplings (e.g., a tractor interface, a trailer interface, etc.); a chassis, a battery pack, an electric powertrain, a sensor suite, and a controller. The modular vehicle system can optionally include landing gear, a suspension, and any other suitable set of components. The vehicle system functions to structurally support and/or tow a trailer—such as a Class 8 semi-trailer—and/or to augment/supplement a tractor propulsive capability (e.g., via a diesel/combustion engine) with a supplementary electric drive axle(s).

The invention relates to a device, which can be mounted on the rear end of a motor vehicle body, for coupling a trailer or a load carrier unit, comprising a holding arm, which at a first end is fixedly connected to the motor vehicle body during operation and which, at a second end, is configured to support a coupling element, wherein the holding arm is provided with a sensor arrangement with at least three deformation sensors, and wherein the at least three deformation sensors deliver sensor values, on the basis of which at least one force component is determined by means of an evaluation unit.

A trailer pulling assist includes a jack that is vertically elongated. A bracket is attached to the jack and engages a tongue of a trailer. A wheel mount is attached to and extends downwardly from the jack. The wheel mount is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the jack when the bracket is attached to the trailer tongue. At least one wheel is rotatably mounted on an axle of the wheel mount. A coupler is mounted on the wheel mount. An elongated handle is removably coupled to the coupler.

A trailer pulling assist includes a jack that is vertically elongated. A bracket is attached to the jack and engages a tongue of a trailer. A wheel mount is attached to and extends downwardly from the jack. The wheel mount is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the jack when the bracket is attached to the trailer tongue. At least one wheel is rotatably mounted on an axle of the wheel mount. A coupler is mounted on the wheel mount. An elongated handle is removably coupled to the coupler.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a load-sensing hitch utilizing a system of strain gauges. An example apparatus includes a hitch including a first support including a first end, a second end, and a mid-portion located between the first end and the second end, the mid-portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first end or the cross-sectional area of the second end, a strain gauge located at the mid-portion of the first support, a frame attachment to couple the hitch to a frame of a vehicle, the support coupled to the frame attachment, and a load manager to determine a load condition based on sensor data from the strain gauge.

Systems and methods for coordinating and providing braking assistance between towing vehicles and towed vehicles during towing events, such as bidirectional charging towing events, are provided. The towing braking assistance may be provided by the towed vehicle in the form of an assistive braking torque output to assist the towing vehicle with meeting a target deceleration rate during the towing event. The assistive braking torque output may be provided to account for mutual vehicle deceleration events, brake compensation or brake fade events, and stability events of the coupled vehicles during the towing events, for example.