The angle of a trailer with respect to a tow vehicle is an important parameter to the stability of the vehicle and trailer. A tow vehicle pulling a trailer in a straight line is generally more stable than when the vehicle is turning. While turning, the angle between the tow vehicle and the trailer is not a straight line but is another angle depending on how sharply the tow vehicle is turning. To safely operate a vehicle towing a trailer, for a given steering input and speed, there is a maximum angle between the tow vehicle and trailer whereby exceeding the angle causes instability and may cause the trailer or tow vehicle to roll over or jackknife. Accordingly, the angle between the trailer and tow vehicle must be determined to ensure the vehicle and trailer will continue to be in control.

A wheel-end assembly for a vehicle enabling the direct measurement of the wheel-end position. The wheel-end assembly includes a knuckle having a kingpin bore and a kingpin disposed within the kingpin bore. The knuckle is at least partially rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the kingpin. A knuckle cap assembly is coupled with the kingpin bore adjacent to an end of the kingpin. In addition, a sensor is coupled with the knuckle cap assembly which measures a position of the kingpin relative to the sensor.

A rotary position sensor senses rotation of a first member, having a first torque coupling surface, about an axis relative to a second member by sensing movement of a torque receiving component of the rotary. The isolator may include a mount, a linkage and a torsion spring. The linkage is to be coupled to the torque receiving component of the rotary sensor. The linkage has a second torque coupling surface separable from the first torque coupling surface by a play gap, wherein during rotation of the first member, the first torque coupling surface is to contact the second torque coupling surface to transmit torque to the linkage. The torsion spring is captured between the mount and the linkage independent of the torque receiving component to resiliently bias the second torque coupling surface through the play gap and into engagement with the first torque coupling surface.

An agricultural vehicle including a front axle assembly having an axle beam with a slot, a wheel assembly including a steering knuckle coupled to a wheel flange assembly, and a steering sensor pin assembly is provided. The steering sensor pin assembly includes a steering sensor pin having a first end and a second end opposite the first end having a flat face, and a kingpin connected to the steering knuckle. The kingpin has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a hole from the top surface to the bottom surface. The hole is aligned with the slot in the axle beam, and the steering sensor pin is positioned in the hole for coupling the kingpin to the axle beam via the flat face of the steering sensor pin being coupled to the slot.

The present invention provides a steering system for an in-wheel motor vehicle capable of controlling driving torques and speeds of in-wheel motors mounted in left and right wheels to be different from each other at the time of curve driving of the vehicle to generate a steering angle of the wheel for the curve driving, and performing a steering angle control of sensing the generated steering angle and fixing the steering angle to a desired steering angle.

A method for determining trailer angle includes determining angles of a trailer hitch relative to a data recording device via an angle measuring device while the trailer hitch pivots about a hitch ball of the device. While the trailer hitch pivots about the hitch ball of the device, trailer hitch information is determined responsive to processing of captured image data and responsive to determined angles of the trailer hitch. After determining trailer hitch information, data representative of the determined information is provided to an electronic device, which is disposed at a vehicle having a rear backup camera that has a field of view that encompasses a hitch ball of the vehicle and at least a portion of a hitch of a trailer hitched to the vehicle. Using the provided data, and responsive to processing of captured image data, an angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle is determined.

A vehicle guidance system assists a driver in maneuvering a vehicle with respect to an object in a scene. The system includes a steering angle sensor, a camera device, a video processing module (VPM), and a human-machine interface (HMI). The sensor is configured to monitor the angular position of a vehicle wheel. The device is configured to capture an original image of a scene having the object. The VPM is configured to receive and process the original image from the device, detect the object in the original image, receive and process the angular position from the sensor, generate a vehicle trajectory based on the angular position, and orientate the trajectory with regard to the object. The HMI is configured to display a processed image associated with the original image and a trajectory overlay associated with the trajectory from the VPM. Together, the object is displayed in relation to the overlay.

A method S100 can include: determining a set of inputs Silo; determining a vehicle state estimate S120; determining a vehicle command based on the vehicle state estimate S130; and optionally controlling the vehicle based on the vehicle command S140. However, the method S100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements. The method S100 functions to facilitate vehicle reversal and/or tractable vehicle control (e.g., during reversal). Additionally or alternatively, the method can function to reduce and/or eliminate unrecoverable vehicle state incidence during vehicle reversal (a.k.a., vehicle backing). Additionally or alternatively, the method can function to autonomously augment and/or assist vehicle control (e.g., during vehicle reversal).

A trailer angle determination system for a vehicle is provided. The trailer angle determination system has a sensing unit for sensing a trailer connected to the vehicle and an evaluation unit. The sensing unit is arranged outside of the center of the vehicle and toward the trailer, and the distance between the sensing unit and the center of the vehicle is known. The trailer has symmetrical feature pairs with respect to a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the trailer. The sensing unit is designed to sense the symmetrical feature pairs of the trailer. The evaluation unit is designed to determine the angle between the trailer and the vehicle based on the sensed symmetrical feature pairs of the trailer and the known distance between the sensing unit and the center of the vehicle.

A method S100 can include: determining a set of inputs Silo; determining a vehicle state estimate S120; determining a vehicle command based on the vehicle state estimate S130; and optionally controlling the vehicle based on the vehicle command S140. However, the method S100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable elements. The method S100 functions to facilitate vehicle reversal and/or tractable vehicle control (e.g., during reversal). Additionally or alternatively, the method can function to reduce and/or eliminate unrecoverable vehicle state incidence during vehicle reversal (a.k.a., vehicle backing). Additionally or alternatively, the method can function to autonomously augment and/or assist vehicle control (e.g., during vehicle reversal).