A trailer recognition device of a vehicle includes: a sensor sensing a distance value between the vehicle and a rear object; a controller detecting whether a trailer is connected, depending on an internal signal of the vehicle and the distance value and predicting a first hitch angle based on a vehicle model and a second hitch angle based on the sensor to generate a control signal; and a trailer mode controller controlling a trailer mode of the vehicle in response to the control signal.

An auxiliary hydraulic system including an accumulator, a control valve, and a hydraulic connector. The accumulator connects to a primary hydraulic system including a hydraulic pump, a brake circuit, and a steering circuit. The control valve selectively allows or prevents flow from an accumulator to at least one of the brake circuit and the steering circuit. The hydraulic connector selectively connects an external source to the accumulator and the control valve.

Provided is a vehicle coupling assistance device which is configured to select, in accordance with a physical quantity relating to an angle of a second coupling part of a trailer with respect to a first coupling part of a vehicle, as a steering angle control mode, any one of a first steering angle control mode in which a steering angle of front wheels of the vehicle and a steering angle of rear wheels of the vehicle are controlled to achieve the same steering angle and a second steering angle control mode f in which the steering angle of the front wheels and the steering angle of the rear wheels are controlled to achieve different steering angles, and to output steering angle control commands for executing control in the selected steering angle control mode to a front-wheel steering device and a rear-wheel steering device of the vehicle.

An articulated vehicle assembly comprising a master vehicle having a master steering system and an onboard sensor arrangement configured to monitor at least said master steering system; a slave vehicle having a slave steering system and an onboard actuator arrangement configured to manipulate at least said slave steering system; an articulation system for articulating in a queue the master and the slave vehicles along a common longitudinal axis; and a processing unit configured to receive input signals from the onboard sensor arrangement and produce corresponding output signals to the onboard actuator arrangement to manipulate said slave steering system so as to maintain the master vehicle and the slave vehicle aligned along the common longitudinal axis, at least when the master vehicle performs a turn on a horizontal plane.

A control apparatus controls the hydraulic connection between self steering wheels on a trailing vehicle, for example a grain cart, and the hydraulic system of a utility vehicle, for example a tractor, towing the trailing vehicle. An auxiliary circuit on the trailing vehicle forms a continuous loop receiving in series one or more wheel actuators associated with the self steering wheels. A valve arrangement is operable in a locked state or unlocked state in which the continuous loop is isolated from the tractor to prevent or allow a flow of fluid in the continuous loop regardless of the state of the tractor hydraulics. In a manual state, the flow in the loop is dependent upon the tractor hydraulics. In an automatic mode, a controller automatically operates the valve arrangement between the locked and unlocked states dependent upon one or more sensed operating conditions of the trailing vehicle.

A rubber-tired train, and a control method and system thereof are disclosed. The train comprises multiple cars connected in series in turn, the cars include a relatively front car and a relatively rear car, and the front car is able to rotate in a horizontal plane relative to the rear car. The method comprises: acquiring a turning angle of a front car at a target position; determining a turning angle of a rear car at the target position according to the turning angle of the front car; and when it is determined that the rear car reaches the target position, controlling the rear car to steer according to the determined turning angle of the rear car. The rear car can follow the front car to steer, each car of the rubber-tired train can be controlled to steer accurately, allowing the rubber-tired train to run accurately along a preset running plan.

A machine includes a frame and an oscillating hitch. A first cylinder couples to a first side of the oscillating hitch and a first side of the frame. A second cylinder couples to a second side of the oscillating hitch and a second side of the frame. A first isolating mechanism couples to the first cylinder and rotates in response to a first rotation of the first cylinder relative to the frame or the oscillating hitch. A first angle sensor senses a first angular displacement of the first isolating mechanism about a first rotational axis. A second isolating mechanism couples to the second cylinder and rotates in response to a second rotation of the second cylinder relative to the frame or the oscillating hitch. A second angle sensor senses a second angular displacement of the second isolating mechanism about a second rotational axis.

The technology relates to fine maneuver control of large autonomous vehicles that employ multiple sets of independently actuated wheels. The control is able to optimize the turning radius, effectively negotiate curves, turns, and clear static objects of varying heights. Each wheel or wheel set is configured to adjust individually via control of an on-board computer system. Received sensor data and a physical model of the vehicle can be used for route planning and selecting maneuver operations in accordance with the additional degrees of freedom provided by the independently actuated wheels. This can include making turns, moving into or out of parking spaces, driving along narrow or congested roads, construction zones, loading docks, etc. A given maneuver may include maintaining a minimum threshold distance from a neighboring vehicle or other object.

A tow configuration may include a tow vehicle and first and second trailers. The intermediate trailer hitch angle with the tow vehicle is controlled with one objective being to improve the off-tracking performance of the other trailer. The hitch angle may be controlled through steerable wheels at the intermediate trailer or through wheel differential steering at the intermediate trailer.

A steering control unit and to a method of controlling the steering of a multi-unit vehicle is provided, the vehicle having a plurality of vehicle parts movably connected to one another and a plurality of steerable axle units. A first axle control unit is in conjunction with a first steerable axle unit and at least one second axle control unit is in conjunction with at least one second steerable axle unit. The steering control system has a central control module that is connected to the axle control units via a common data line for exchange of steering angle data. The axle control units have data interfaces for communication via the data line. The data interfaces transfer mutually identical data formats, whereby the steering control system is set up in a modular manner with a variable number of axle control units that can be integrated.