Trailer assist system with jackknife escape

A method of controlling a path of a trailer comprising:

• determining, by a controller including at least one processor, an orientation of a trailer relative to a vehicle to which the trailer is connected as the vehicle moves in a reverse direction;
• determining, by the controller, whether the trailer is in a jackknife condition based on the orientation, wherein the trailer is in the jackknife condition when an angle between the vehicle and the trailer is above a predetermined threshold at which the angle cannot be decreased through steering of the vehicle while reversing alone;
• responsive to an affirmative determination at the trailer is in the jackknife condition determining, by the controller, whether the jackknife condition can be corrected with the vehicle moves in the reverse direction without the vehicle moving in a forward direction, by utilizing at least one of vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering, determining whether the jackknife condition can be corrected comprising determining whether one or more countermeasures is feasible for the vehicle with the vehicle moving in the reverse direction without moving in the forward direction;
• upon a determination by the controller that the jackknife condition cannot be corrected, sending, by the controller, at least one command to a display in the vehicle for instructing a driver of the vehicle to at least one of stop or drive in the forward direction;
• and
• upon a determination by the controller that the jackknife condition can be corrected, correcting, by the controller, the jackknife condition by utilizing the at least one of the vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering as the vehicle moves in the reverse direction.

A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions executable by at least one processor, the instructions comprising:

• instructions executed by the at least one processor that prompt determining an orientation of a trailer relative to a vehicle to which the trailer is connected and as the vehicle and the trailer move in a reverse direction;
• instructions executed by the at least one processor that prompt determining whether the trailer is in a jackknife condition based on the orientation, wherein the trailer is in the jackknife condition when an angle between the vehicle and the trailer is above a predetermined threshold at which the angle cannot be decreased through steering of the vehicle while reversing alone;
• instructions executed by the at least one processor to prompt, responsive to an affirmative determination that the trailer is in the jackknife condition, determining whether the jackknife condition can be corrected without the vehicle and the trailer moving in a forward direction, by utilizing at least one of vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering, determining whether the jackknife condition can be corrected comprising determining whether one or more countermeasures is feasible for the vehicle without moving in the forward direction;
• instructions executed by the at least one processor for, in response to a determination that the jackknife condition can be corrected, correcting the jackknife condition by activating the at least one of vehicle brakes, trailer brakes, or vehicle steering;
• and
• instructions executed by the at least one processor for, in response to a determination that the jackknife condition cannot be corrected, sending at least one command to a display in the vehicle for instructing a driver of the vehicle to at least one of stop or drive in the forward direction.