Trailer Back Up Assist

naturelover

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
130
I think computer controlled vehicles are so much better than the vehicles of yesteryear, look at the advances in fuel economy and power. We have been driving computer controlled cars and trucks for decades now, and I'm not very fearful of someone hacking into it and killing me.

Anti-lock brakes, traction control, heads-up displays, even the newer automatic crash avoidance systems are making driving safer than it ever has been.

However, as smokeonthewater has stated, unless this has some sort of sensors on the front, it doesn't seem safe to be looking at a screen and turning a knob to back your trailer, you miss too much of what can be going on beside and in front of you. Same as with looking back at the trailer through the rear glass or the rearview mirror. Using the side mirrors allows you to glance around the front of the vehicle when needed, and focus back on the mirrors.


I learned to back with the side mirrors, and had forbid myself from looking out the rearview mirror or out the back glass. I do remember backing in the family popup at the campground before even having my drivers license though and I can get a trailer in some pretty tight spots, but am no pro by any means. I think the easy part is knowing which way to turn the wheel to get the trailer pointing where you want it, but where the practice and skill comes in is knowing how the steering wheel input from different length vehicles affects different length trailers.

As say, I've been backing trailers for a long time, so much so that some of the time if I'm not careful driving the truck, I'll back up like I'm backing a trailer when none is hooked up. Even so, if I ever do hook the 12' jon boat and trailer to the 25' long dually, I'll be backing it in an open parking lot or vacant ramp, as I can already tell that ones going to be near impossible.

The best thing to do is practice, cause you can be good enough to parallel park a truck/trailer on a one way street (I've had to do that, first try), or back down a curvy gravel road to the river, and still look like a complete amateur at the lake boat ramp with everyone watching and waiting for you to get out of their way (been there too).....
 

sailor55330

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 16, 2013
Messages
38
You know, I've read the posts and watched the video. Good points made for all. I for one, think that it's good technology, BUT, I agree that trailer endorsements aren't a bad thing. Technology is a great assist, but again, it should not be a replacement for knowledge. I'm guessing that more accidents happen when trying to stop or during a regular tow than during the backing procedure. Maybe the answer is if you want the technology, you have to have an endorsement code. I too learned on a mower with a 6ft utility trailer and agree that will teach you faster than anything. IMHO no one should pull a trailer unless they have the necessary skills.

On the flip side, if you don't think technology is already taking over, you're fooling yourself. Commercial jets can now land themselves and actually taxi off the runway via computers.
 

jbetzelb

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
301
I am worried some of you guys will try to destroy the google cars when they pull up with no drivers. Kidding. I fully embrace the technology. I have pulled trailers since I was 12 back in 1978. We all need to admit no matter how good we are things like sway control, traction control, ABS and backup cameras make the roads safer. As noted above, I made my kids learn how to drive on ice and snow by taking them out shutting off the traction control and having them slide and recover. A lot of those skills are getting lost for young people that never had to do it without technology.
 

airshot

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
4,219
The us government already as the technology to control computors on todays cars, they don't want to make it public to invite the hackers just yet. GM's onboard onstar system has already been hacked getting personal information on its owners. Todays young people have become so dependent on hitech....wait until it quits working someday and watch the mess it is going to cause. Far to many sheep have been lead to believe all this has been done for our safety when the real reason is so the government can monitor where we go. If you don't think it is true then why has there been serious talks about adding a mileage tax onto the fuel tax?? As stated by our government officials" we can now monitor how many miles people drive thru the computors on their automobiles" Big brother is watching......but of course it is all for our safety.. same thing Hitler told the jewish people and the same thing the Australian and British governments told their people when they took their guns away. We can now see just how safe they are..........
 

WIMUSKY

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 26, 2009
Messages
19,789
Why don't we reel this back in and get off the "Big Brother is Watching" discussion.

Thank you..... :)
 

WIMUSKY

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 26, 2009
Messages
19,789
Backup cameras seem to be the norm anymore. My wife has one on the car. I still can backup a lot straighter by using the mirrors and not the camera. But, mirrors is all I had for 37 years..... With mirrors, I could back up for miles w/o stopping...
 

Teamster

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 8, 2010
Messages
1,923
I drive tractor trailer for a living,..

Pull doubles from time to time,........

I think all this new technology does is dumb down the driver and push the cost of the vehicle up,...

Learn to drive people,....
 

ihearth2o

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 18, 2014
Messages
187
Not quite the same. Ford works with any trailer and the one in vid has steerable trailer wheels. So I don't think they beat Ford.

That's my point exactly. This company already came up with a usable concept and product that helps in backing up trailers by making the axles steerable. The kit can be installed on a wide variety of trailers. Ford couldn't just duplicate it (at least without running afoul with the original company) so they came up with a different sort of system. Didn't stop Ford from saying that their system "steers" the trailer though. Kudos to Ford for their marketing acumen and use of terms that will appeal to the "trailering-challenged" though.
 
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