Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes an imaging system, a vehicle control system including at least one vehicle sensor, and a controller. The controller controls the vehicle using the vehicle control system to move the vehicle into an aligned position, where a hitch ball on the vehicle is aligned with the coupler, including monitoring a signal from the vehicle sensor and tracking a position of the coupler relative to the hitch ball in image data. When the signal indicates an unintended stopped vehicle state, the controller determines a distance from the hitch ball to the coupler. If the distance is above a predetermined threshold, the controller controls the vehicle control system to cause the vehicle to move. If the distance is below the predetermined threshold, the controller indicates the unintended stopped vehicle state to a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a vehicle steering system, a wireless communication module, a detection system outputting a signal including scene data of an area to a rear of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives, via the wireless communication module, an automated hitching initiation command from an external wireless device, receives the scene data and identifying the trailer within the area to the rear of the vehicle, derives a backing path to align a hitch ball mounted on the vehicle to a coupler of the trailer, and controls the vehicle steering system to maneuver the vehicle including reversing along the backing path.

Abstract: 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 scene data of an area to a rear of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives the scene data and identifying a trailer and at least one ground surface within the area to the rear of the vehicle and differentiates between first and second portions of the ground surface having first and second ground surface classifications. The controller further derives a backing path to align a hitch ball mounted on the vehicle to a coupler of the trailer to maintain the vehicle within the first portion of the ground surface having the first ground surface classification and controls the vehicle steering system to maneuver the vehicle during reversing along the backing path.

Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a vehicle steering system, an imager mounted with and directed to a rear of the vehicle and outputting image data, and a controller. The controller receives the image data, applies a location identifier of a vehicle hitch ball to the image data, and identifies a coupler of the trailer within the image data. The controller also outputs a steering control signal to the steering system in reversing of the vehicle to align the location identifier of the vehicle hitch ball in the image data with the coupler of the trailer.

Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes an imaging system, a vehicle control system including at least one vehicle sensor, and a controller. The controller controls the vehicle using the vehicle control system to move the vehicle into an aligned position, where a hitch ball on the vehicle is aligned with the coupler, including monitoring a signal from the vehicle sensor and tracking a position of the coupler relative to the hitch ball in image data. When the signal indicates an unintended stopped vehicle state, the controller determines a distance from the hitch ball to the coupler. If the distance is above a predetermined threshold, the controller controls the vehicle control system to cause the vehicle to move. If the distance is below the predetermined threshold, the controller indicates the unintended stopped vehicle state to a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes an imaging system, a vehicle control system including at least one vehicle sensor, and a controller. The controller controls the vehicle using the vehicle control system to move the vehicle into an aligned position, where a hitch ball on the vehicle is aligned with the coupler, including monitoring a signal from the vehicle sensor and tracking a position of the coupler relative to the hitch ball in image data. When the signal indicates an unintended stopped vehicle state, the controller determines a distance from the hitch ball to the coupler. If the distance is above a predetermined threshold, the controller controls the vehicle control system to cause the vehicle to move. If the distance is below the predetermined threshold, the controller indicates the unintended stopped vehicle state to a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A hitching assistance system for a vehicle includes a steering system including a vehicle steering wheel and a controller executing an automated hitching maneuver including controlling the steering system to back the vehicle toward a trailer, monitoring the hitching assistance system for an interruption event affecting execution of the automated hitching maneuver, detecting the interruption event and identifying the interruption event as one of a standard interruption event or an exception interruption event, upon identifying the standard interruption event, causing the steering wheel to move to a centered position and ceasing control of the steering system, and upon identifying the exception interruption event, ceasing control of the steering system without causing the steering wheel to move to the centered position.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a vehicle steering system, a wireless communication module, a detection system outputting a signal including scene data of an area to a rear of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives, via the wireless communication module, an automated hitching initiation command from an external wireless device, receives the scene data and identifying the trailer within the area to the rear of the vehicle, derives a backing path to align a hitch ball mounted on the vehicle to a coupler of the trailer, and controls the vehicle steering system to maneuver the vehicle including reversing along the backing path.

Abstract: A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a steering system including a vehicle steering wheel, a powertrain control system including an accelerator and a gear selector, a brake system including service brakes and a parking brake, and a controller. The controller executes an automated hitching maneuver, monitors the system for an interruption event. Upon identifying a standard interruption event, the controller causes the steering wheel to move to a centered position, causes the gear selector to engage a park mode, engages the parking brake, and ceases control of the steering system, the powertrain control system and the brake system. Upon identifying an exception interruption event, the controller ceases control of the steering system, the powertrain control system, and the brake system without causing the steering wheel to move to the centered position.

Abstract: 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 scene data of an area to a rear of the vehicle, and a controller. The controller receives the scene data and identifying a trailer and at least one ground surface within the area to the rear of the vehicle and differentiates between first and second portions of the ground surface having first and second ground surface classifications. The controller further derives a backing path to align a hitch ball mounted on the vehicle to a coupler of the trailer to maintain the vehicle within the first portion of the ground surface having the first ground surface classification and controls the vehicle steering system to maneuver the vehicle during reversing along the backing path.

Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a steering system including a set of vehicle steered wheels and a controller. The controller checks the system for a plurality of pre-maneuver conditions and communicates to a driver the need to correct at least one of the pre-maneuver conditions. When all pre-maneuver conditions are met, the controller executes an automated hitching maneuver that includes controlling the steered wheels of the steering system in backing the vehicle toward the trailer.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes a vehicle steering system, an imager mounted with and directed to a rear of the vehicle and outputting image data, and a controller. The controller receives the image data, applies a location identifier of a vehicle hitch ball to the image data, and identifies a coupler of the trailer within the image data. The controller also outputs a steering control signal to the steering system in reversing of the vehicle to align the location identifier of the vehicle hitch ball in the image data with the coupler of the trailer.

Abstract: A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a steering system including a vehicle steering wheel, a powertrain control system including an accelerator and a gear selector, a brake system including service brakes and a parking brake, and a controller. The controller executes an automated hitching maneuver, monitors the system for an interruption event. Upon identifying a standard interruption event, the controller causes the steering wheel to move to a centered position, causes the gear selector to engage a park mode, engages the parking brake, and ceases control of the steering system, the powertrain control system and the brake system. Upon identifying an exception interruption event, the controller ceases control of the steering system, the powertrain control system, and the brake system without causing the steering wheel to move to the centered position.

Abstract: A system for assisting in aligning a vehicle for hitching with a trailer includes an imaging system, a vehicle control system including at least one vehicle sensor, and a controller. The controller controls the vehicle using the vehicle control system to move the vehicle into an aligned position, where a hitch ball on the vehicle is aligned with the coupler, including monitoring a signal from the vehicle sensor and tracking a position of the coupler relative to the hitch ball in image data. When the signal indicates an unintended stopped vehicle state, the controller determines a distance from the hitch ball to the coupler. If the distance is above a predetermined threshold, the controller controls the vehicle control system to cause the vehicle to move. If the distance is below the predetermined threshold, the controller indicates the unintended stopped vehicle state to a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: Traffic density is estimated around a host vehicle moving on a roadway. An object detection system remotely senses and identifies the positions of nearby vehicles. A controller a) predicts a path of a host lane being driven by the host vehicle, b) bins the nearby vehicles into a plurality of lanes including the host lane and one or more adjacent lanes flanking the predicted path, c) determines a host lane distance in response to a position of a farthest vehicle that is binned to the host lane, d) determines an adjacent lane distance in response to a difference between a closest position in an adjacent lane that is within the field of view and a position of a farthest vehicle binned to the adjacent lane, and e) indicates a traffic density in response to a ratio between a count of the binned vehicles and a sum of the distances.