Drew Dowdell

Ford is taking the frustration out of lining up to your trailer. At the New York Auto Show today, Ford will unveil Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, an A.I. powered driver's assist technology that uses machine learning to automatically line the truck up to the trailer. From distances of up to approximately 20 feet, the system uses the rear camera and two corner radar units to control the truck's speed, steering, and braking while the driver monitors the progress. Computer vision learning uses the truck's rear camera to identify the ball and trailer coupler. If the system detects an obstacle while in operation, it will alert the driver and stop the vehicle. Ford used hundreds of hours of video were collected to help train the system initially, but Pro-Trailer Hitch Assist will get smarter over time as more trailer image data is added and the vehicle's Ford Power-Up system receives over-the-air updates. The system will work in a broad range of terrain and weather conditions. Ford developed the technology in-house and has received 60 patents with 4 more pending. Pro-Trailer Hitch Assist is available now in the 2023 F-150, F-150 Lightning, and all-new 2023 F-series Super Duty. Pro Trailer Hitch Assist_04.mp4