An intelligent system for controlling driving of an aircraft tow tractor by means of combination of voice and vision includes an audio transmission line, a voice recognition system, a visual recognition system, and a vehicle-mounted motion controller. According to the intelligent system, visual recognition is performed based on a belly-mounted anti-collision light on an aircraft, a taxi light, and the visual recognition system on an aircraft tow tractor, and the aircraft tow tractor is intelligently controlled by means of combination of voice recognition and the visual recognition; furthermore, the aircraft tow tractor is intelligently controlled by voices of flight crew via the audio transmission line, safety in a towing process is guaranteed by the visual recognition, and each step in the towing process is performed by means of a cross validation based on the voice recognition and the visual recognition.

A gearbox brake trailer apparatus for safe downhill towing includes a frame having a front end, a left side, a right side, and a rear end. The front end has a trailer hookup configured to selectively engage a trailer hitch of a truck. A trailer deck is coupled to the frame. Each of a plurality of wheel pairs has an axle rotatably coupled between the left side and the right side of the frame and a pair of tires coupled to the axle. A gearbox is coupled to the frame and has a wiring harness configured to selectively engage with an electrical control plug of the truck. A drive linkage is coupled to the gearbox and is in operational communication with the gearbox and with the axle of a front most wheel pair of the plurality of wheel pairs to brake the rotation of the front most wheel pair.

A vehicle system is disclosed herein. The system includes a hitch ball mounted on a vehicle. A controller is configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer and control motion of the vehicle to an aligned position, wherein the hitch ball is aligned with the coupler position. The controller is further configured to initiate a vehicle agitation routine after the vehicle has reached the aligned position.

A lift assist system for lifting a tow bar and setting a tow bar-actuated brake system. The lift assist system includes a cam that may proportionally counter the moments imposed on the tow bar for a reduced and more uniform exertion force on the tow bar throughout the rotation of the tow bar. A brake actuation system can help provide retention of the tow bar in the upright configuration, eliminating the need for or providing redundancy to conventional latch and hook mechanisms.

When a drawbar is inserted into a coupling hole, which is a necessary task to couple a towbar to a tractor, a brake device switches from a braking state in which a braking force is applied to each front wheel to a non-braking state in which the front wheel is released from the braking force. When the drawbar is removed from the coupling hole, which is a necessary task to uncouple the tractor from the towbar, the brake device switches from the non-braking state to the braking state.

A vehicle system is disclosed herein. The system includes a hitch ball mounted on a vehicle. A controller is configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer and control motion of the vehicle to an aligned position, wherein the hitch ball is aligned with the coupler position. The controller is further configured to initiate a vehicle agitation routine after the vehicle has reached the aligned position.

A vehicle control system comprises a sensor configured to capture sensor data and a controller configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer in the sensor data. The controller is further configured to control a vehicle alignment routine aligning the hitch with the coupler position and control an emergency braking operation in response to detecting an obstruction in the sensor data. The controller is configured to suppress the emergency braking operation in response to the obstruction corresponding to the coupler in the sensor data.

An agricultural implement is provided. The agricultural implement includes a braking system configured to slow or stop the agricultural implement. The agricultural implement also includes a hitch configured to couple the agricultural implement to a towing vehicle. The agricultural implement further includes an electronic sensor disposed on the hitch and configured to sense tension and compression forces. The agricultural implement further includes a controller configured to automatically actuate or disengage the braking system in response to a signal indicating a presence of compression or tension forces from the electronic sensor.

A vehicle system includes a vehicle brake system, an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives a first signal from the accelerometer and, during reversing of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction, transmits an actuation signal to the vehicle brake system when the first signal from the accelerometer indicates a deceleration in the longitudinal direction above a predetermined rate within a predetermined time interval.

A tow bar assembly for use in connecting a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle. The tow bar assembly includes a drawbar and a housing assembly capable of being configured with a supplemental braking system. A connector secures the housing to a tow hitch member, such that two separate, non-planar perpendicular axes of pivotal rotation are created. The tow hitch assembly includes at least one arm with an inner and outer portion, wherein the inner portion rotates about a central axis relative to the inner portion within the outer portion. A fourth pivotal axis is created by a connection of mounting brackets to the tow hitch member.