TOWING VEHICLE GUIDANCE FOR TRAILER HITCH CONNECTION

摘要

Apparatus (30, 32, 160, 162, 322, 324) and a method for its use to assist an operator of a towing vehicle (26) in backing the towing vehicle accurately into a position in which parts (18, 20) of a hitch can be mated to connect the towing vehicle (26) with a trailer (28). A camera (72, 180) in a towing vehicle module (30, 160, 324) provides the towing vehicle operator a video image (74, 204) of the trailer and a target (32, 162, 346) mounted on it. A beam (57, 188, 330) of light from the towing vehicle module (30, 160, 324) and falling on the target (32, 162, 346) is visible in the video image to show when the towing vehicle (26) approaches and reaches a position in which the hitch (18, 20) can be mated.