Vehicular trailer hitching assist system

A vehicular trailer hitching assist system, the vehicular trailer hitching assist system comprising:

• a camera, wherein the camera is configured to be disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to view at least rearward of the vehicle;
• wherein the camera comprises an imaging array having at least one million photosensors arranged in rows and columns;
• an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed at the vehicle, the ECU comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera with the camera disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle;
• wherein, with the camera disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle, the ECU, via image processing by the image processor of the image data captured by the camera, (i) detects a trailer that is present rearward of the vehicle, (ii) determines an orientation of the trailer relative to the vehicle and (iii) determines a first path of travel for the vehicle to follow to maneuver the vehicle toward the trailer and to align a tow ball of the vehicle with a trailer hitch of the trailer as the vehicle approaches the trailer;
• wherein the ECU, responsive to determination of the first path of travel, generates an output to maneuver the vehicle along the determined first path of travel;
• wherein, with the camera disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle and with the vehicle maneuvering along the determined first path of travel, the ECU, at least via image processing by the image processor of the image data captured by the camera, detects an object entering the determined first path of travel;
• wherein, with the camera disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle, and responsive to the detection of the object entering the determined first path of travel, the ECU, at least via image processing by the image processor of the image data captured by the camera, determines a second path of travel for the vehicle to follow that avoids the detected object;
• and
• wherein the ECU, responsive to determining that the second path of travel is not followable, one selected from the group consisting of (i) stops the vehicle, (ii) generates an alert to a driver of the vehicle, (iii) determines a third path of travel for the vehicle to follow to maneuver the vehicle toward the trailer and to align the tow ball of the vehicle with the trailer hitch of the trailer as the vehicle approaches the trailer.

A vehicular trailer hitching assist system, the vehicular trailer hitching assist system comprising:

• a camera, wherein the camera is configured to be disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to view at least rearward of the vehicle;
• wherein the camera comprises an imaging array having at least one million photosensors arranged in rows and columns;
• an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed at the vehicle, the ECU comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera with the camera disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle;
• wherein, with the camera disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle, the ECU, via image processing by the image processor of the image data captured by the camera, (i) detects a trailer that is present rearward of the vehicle, (ii) determines an orientation of the trailer relative to the vehicle and (iii) determines a first path of travel for the vehicle to follow to maneuver the vehicle toward the trailer and to align a tow ball of the vehicle with a trailer hitch of the trailer as the vehicle approaches the trailer;
• wherein the ECU, responsive to determination of the first path of travel, generates an output to control at least one vehicular function to maneuver the vehicle along the determined first path of travel;
• wherein, with the camera disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle and with the vehicle maneuvering along the determined first path of travel, the ECU, at least via image processing by the image processor of the image data captured by the camera, detects an object entering the determined first path of travel;
• and
• wherein, with the camera disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle, and responsive to the detection of the object entering the determined first path of travel, the ECU, at least via image processing by the image processor of the image data captured by the camera, determines a second path of travel for the vehicle to follow that avoids the detected object.