The present invention relates to a vehicle control system (1) for controlling a trailer (5) coupled to a vehicle (3) during a reversing operation. The vehicle control system includes a processor (29) configured to determine an actual trailer travel direction (T.sub.ACT) based on one or more sensor signals. The processor (29) receives a demanded trailer travel direction (T.sub.DEM), for example from a user. A maximum permissible hitch angle (.sub.MAX) is calculated by the processor (29) and the demanded trailer travel direction (T.sub.DEM) is limited to an angle less than or equal to the calculated maximum permissible hitch angle (.sub.MAX). The present invention also relates to a vehicle (3) incorporating the vehicle control system (1); and a method of controlling the reversing of the trailer (5).

Various embodiments include a method for providing an image using a camera monitor system for a motor vehicle with a trailer, wherein the camera monitor system has a rear camera assigned to a rear side of the trailer, a side camera assigned to a longitudinal side of the motor vehicle, and a monitor for presenting images of the cameras. The method may include: capturing a first image with the rear camera; capturing a second image with the side camera; constructing a composite image comprising the first image and the second image based at least in part on an ascertained trajectory of the motor vehicle; and displaying the composite image on the monitor.

A vehicular surround vision system includes a plurality of vehicular cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective exterior fields of view, a trailer camera disposed at a rear of a trailer and having a rearward field of view, an ECU and a display device in the vehicle. With the trailer not hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle, the display device displays surround view video images derived from image data captured by at least the rearward viewing and sideward viewing vehicular cameras and provided to the ECU. With the trailer hitched to the vehicle and during a driving maneuver of the vehicle and trailer, the display device displays surround view video images derived from image data captured by the trailer camera and provided to the ECU and image data captured by at least some of the vehicular cameras and provided to the ECU.

A vehicle system comprises a hitch ball mounted on a vehicle and a controller. The controller is configured to identify a coupler position of a trailer and control movement of the vehicle aligning the hitch ball with the coupler position. The controller is further configured to identify a change in the coupler position and stop the motion of the vehicle in response to the change in position of the trailer.

A hitch assist system is provided herein that includes an imager for capturing one or more images of a trailer having a coupler. The hitch assist system may also include a user-input device for inputting specifications of a hitch ball. A controller within the hitch assist system may be used for estimating a hitch ball height based on the inputted specifications and estimating a trailer height based on a height and projective geometry of the imager.

A vehicle has a trailer hitch, a vehicle electrical connector configured to electrically connect to a trailer electrical connector, and an imaging system oriented to captures images proximate to the trailer hitch. The vehicle also includes a proximity sensing system arranged to sense objects proximate to the trailer hitch and generate a proximity signal, an electrical connection detection system to detect an electrical connection to the vehicle trailer connector and generate an electrical connection signal, and a controller processing the captured images, the proximity signal and the electrical connector signal and determining a connection state of a trailer to the vehicle based on the captured images, the proximity sensor and the electrical connector signal, and generating an output indicative of the determined connection state.

A trailer for use with a truck has a wheeled chassis having at least one wheeled axle at a rearward end of the wheeled chassis. A body has a cargo deck supported by the wheeled chassis. A camera is mounted to at least one of the wheeled chassis and the body so that a field of view of the camera includes a tractor when the tractor is operatively coupled to the wheeled chassis.

A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a vehicle steering system, a detection system outputting a signal including object position information of an area to a rear of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receiving the object position data and identifying a targeted trailer and at least one additional object within the area to the rear of the vehicle and controlling the vehicle steering system to maneuver the vehicle during reversing to align a hitch ball mounted on the vehicle to a coupler of the targeted trailer. Upon aligning the hitch ball with the coupler, the controller presents an indication, if it is determined that the at least one additional object is within a threshold distance of a side of the targeted trailer.

A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a controller that identifies at least one of the trailer or a coupling feature of the trailer within image data and determines that the at least one of the trailer or the coupling feature is outside of a target position area relative to the vehicle and outputs an instruction for movement of the vehicle determined to position the one of the trailer or the coupling feature within the target position area in response to identifying at least one indication of a user difficulty in positioning the one of the trailer or the coupling feature within the target position area.

A trailering assist system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle and having a field of view rearward of the vehicle, the field of view encompassing at least a portion of a trailer rearward of the vehicle. The camera captures image data, which is representative of at least a front profile of the trailer, which includes a trailer coupler of the trailer. An ECU includes an image processor that processes image data captured by the camera. The ECU, responsive to image processing of captured image data, determines a location of the front profile of the trailer relative to the vehicle. Responsive to determining the location of the front profile, the ECU determines a plurality of outline landmarks that represent a shape of the front profile of the trailer. Based on the determined outline landmarks, the ECU determines a location of the trailer coupler.