Virtual towing

A method of virtual towing of a trailer vehicle by a first tractor vehicle and a second tractor vehicle, comprising:

• submitting a user request for a multi-point virtual tow of the trailer vehicle, the request including a requested tow path having a requested departure location, a requested departure time, a requested destination location, and a requested destination arrival time;
• and
• receiving a multi-point virtual tow route schedule including a route origin, a route destination, a first tow segment, and a second tow segment wherein each of the first tow segment and the second two segment has a first accepted tractor vehicle and second accpeted tractor vehicle, respectively, a link up location, a link up location distance range, a link up timeframe, a drop off location, a drop off location distance range, and a drop off time frame,
• wherein the link up location distance range for the associated first or second accepted tractor vehicle includes a predefined radius around the link up location in which the corresponding first or second tractor vehicle will travel to link with the trailer vehicle and the drop off location distance range includes a predefined radius around the drop off location in which the corresponding first or second tractor vehicle will travel to drop off the trailer vehicle,
• wherein each of the first tow segment and the second two segment of the multi-point virtual tow is associated with the trailer vehicle following the corresponding first or second accepted tractor vehicle based on wirelessly exchanged information.

A system for multi-point virtual towing of a trailer vehicle associated with a user by a first tractor vehicle and a second tractor vehicle over respective first and second tow segments, the system comprising:

• at least one server having a route generation module, wherein the route generation module generates one or more candidate multi-point virtual tow route schedules using information received from the trailer vehicle, the first tractor vehicle, and the second tractor vehicle,
• a route selection module which uses a route selection algorithm to score and rank the one or more candidate multi-point virtual tow route schedules received from the route generation module to determine one or more best multi-point virtual tow route schedules, and
• an arbitration module which confirms selection with the user of a best multi-point virtual tow route schedule having a first tow segment and a second tow segment and communicates acceptance notices having respective first and second accepted tow routes segment schedules to recipients associated with accepted tractor vehicle selected for the best multipoint virtual tow route schedule,
• wherein each of the first tow segment and the second tow segment corresponds to a corresponding first and second accepted tractor vehicle, each associated with a link up location, a link up location distance range, a link up time frame, a drop off location, a drop off location distance range, and a drop off time frame,
• wherein the link up location distance range includes a predefined radius around the link up location in which at least on tractor vehicle will travel to link with the trailer vehicle and the drop off location distance range includes a predefined radius around the drop off location in which the at least one tractor vehicle will travel to drop off the trailer vehicle,
• wherein each of the first tow segment and the second tow segment of the multi-point virtual tow is associated with the trailer vehicle following the corresponding first or second accepted tractor vehicles based on wirelessly exchanged information, and
• wherein the route selection module scores and ranks the one or more candidate multi-point virtual tow route schedules based on a number of tractor vehicles to be used.