A device and a method for controlling collision avoidance of a trailer vehicle in platooning include a jackknife induction determination module or operation that determines whether to execute jackknife induction control in a leading vehicle when an emergency braking situation occurs during platooning of the trailer vehicle. The device and method also include a jackknife induction control module or operation that provides an additional braking distance of a following vehicle at the rear of a tractor by inducing pivoting of a trailer while controlling the tractor and trailer of the leading vehicle, respectively, to allow a jackknife phenomenon to occur. Stability of the platooning is improved by reducing a possibility of the occurrence of a collision accident by the following vehicle even during emergency braking.

A tractor vehicle operation control device includes a yaw rate sensor, which detects the actual yaw rate, and a controller, which executes damping control for increasing braking power on the vehicle wheels based on the actual yaw rate and damping periodic yaw motion of the tractor vehicle originating in a trailer. The controller, based on the actual yaw rate, calculates a yaw indicator representing the degree of yaw motion, and sets the front wheels braking power to be greater and sets the rear wheels braking power to be less as the yaw indicator increases. For example, the controller calculates a peak value of the actual yaw rate and determines the actual yaw rate peak value to be the yaw rate. The controller also may calculate yaw angular acceleration based on the actual yaw rate and determine a yaw indicator based on the peak value of the yaw angular acceleration.

A brake control unit includes a processor, a first high side driver and a second high side driver. The processor sends signals to the first high side driver and the second high side driver. The first and second high side drivers process the signals independent of each other. The processor diagnoses faults and locations of faults based on feedback from the high side drivers. The first high side driver controls the braking of a first trailer brake. The second high side driver controls the braking of a second trailer brake.

The present invention relates to a brake controller for an accelerometer based towed vehicle braking system and a method of operating the brake controller.

A sensor arrangement for detecting an object in a surrounding of a trailer when towed by a vehicle, the sensor arrangement including: at least one sensor mountable at a rear side of the vehicle with a field of view underneath the trailer and configured to capture a detection signal from the object; and a control unit configured to receive a sensor signal from the at least one sensor, wherein the sensor signal is indicative of the object and the control unit is configured to confirm a presence of the object behind or at a side of the trailer.

In a steering control device, method, and system, a command is calculated for generating a periodical yaw moment having a phase opposite to oscillating motion based on information on oscillating motion which occurs in a vehicle combination composed of a vehicle and a trailer, and based on the calculated command, a first steering angle command for controlling a steering angle of the front wheels of the vehicle is output to a front wheel steering control unit and a second steering angle command for controlling a steering angle of the rear wheels of the vehicle is output to a rear wheel steering control unit, so that the oscillating motion can be suppressed.

Systems for detecting movement of a trailer having a rearward facing camera and linked to a tow vehicle. The systems include taking a first image and a second image with the camera and comparing the images. A first amount of trailer movement is determined between the second image and the first image. The systems may also take additional images and determine a second amount of trailer movement occurring between the additional images. Tracking the first amount and the second amount of trailer movement determines an amount of trailer sway. The determined trailer sway may be compared to a maximum allowable sway and, if the movement is greater than the maximum allowable sway, mitigating sway of the trailer with the tow vehicle.

A trailer assist system includes a controller configured to determine whether a trailer is in a jackknife condition based on an angle of the trailer relative to a vehicle. Determination is made whether the jackknife condition can be corrected by utilizing vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering.

Various examples are directed to systems and methods for operating a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer attached for pulling behind the tractor. A center-of-mass system may determine a mass of the trailer and a tractor understeer. The center-of-mass system may determine the tractor understeer using steering input data describing a steering angle of the tractor and yaw data describing a yaw of the tractor. The center-of-mass system may determine a load center of mass using the tractor understeer and a mass of the trailer. The center-of-mass system may further determine that the load center of mass transgresses a center-of-mass threshold and send an alert message indicating that the load transgresses the load center-of-mass threshold.

A towing device operably provided on a trailer for powering and controlling the trailer. The towing device has an actuator operably connected with the trailer during a towing operation. The towing device also has at least one switch provided in the actuator and operable to variably control at least one motor/generator provided on the trailer. The at least one switch is also operable to send a first signal to the at least one motor/generator via a first force exerted on the actuator by a vehicle, and wherein a first torque is applied to at least one wheel on the trailer via the at least one motor/generator being operably engaged with the at least one wheel. In addition, the towing device may include a controller operably connected to the at least one switch and to the at least one motor/generator, to control the torque applied by the at least one motor/generator.