System and method for trailer instability advanced warning based on hitch load measurement

A system for controlling towing of a trailer by a vehicle, the system comprising:

• one or more sensors of the vehicle configured to at least facilitate obtaining sensor data pertaining to the vehicle and the trailer, the sensor data including hitch forces as to the hitching of the trailer to the vehicle at the hitch, including a hitch vertical force and a hitch longitudinal force, in addition to a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a yaw rate of the vehicle, and a hitch articulation angle;
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium of the vehicle that is configured to store one or more parameters that include one or more dimensions pertaining to the vehicle, the trailer, or hitching of the trailer to the vehicle via a hitch;
• and
• one or more processors of the vehicle that are coupled to the one or more sensors and to the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and that are configured to at least facilitate:
• determining a current acceleration of the vehicle from the sensor data;
• calculating a maximum allowable acceleration, via one or more processors of the vehicle, based on the sensor data and the one or more dimensions;
• determining when instability of the trailer is likely to occur at a future time, using the sensor data and the one or more parameters from the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine that the instability of the trailer is likely to occur at the future time when the current acceleration is greater than the maximum allowable acceleration;
• and
• taking one or more vehicle actions, in accordance with instructions provided by the one or more processors, when it is determined that the instability of the trailer is likely to occur at the future time.

A vehicle comprising:

• a body;
• a propulsion system configured to generate movement of the body;
• a hitch for coupling to a trailer for towing the trailer;
• one or more sensors configured to at least facilitate obtaining sensor data pertaining to the vehicle and the trailer, the sensor data including hitch forces as to the hitching of the trailer to the vehicle at the hitch, including a hitch vertical force and a hitch longitudinal force, in addition to a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, a yaw rate of the vehicle, and a hitch articulation angle;
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that is configured to store one or more parameters that include one or more dimensions pertaining to the vehicle, the trailer, or hitching of the trailer to the vehicle via the hitch;
• and
• one or more processors that are coupled to the one or more sensors and to the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and that are configured to at least facilitate:
• determining a current acceleration of the vehicle from the sensor data;
• calculating a maximum allowable acceleration, via one or more processors of the vehicle, based on the sensor data and the one or more dimensions;
• determining when instability of the trailer is likely to occur at a future time, using the sensor data and the one or more parameters from the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine that the instability of the trailer is likely to occur at the future time when the current acceleration is greater than the maximum allowable acceleration;
• and
• taking one or more vehicle actions, in accordance with instructions provided by the one or more processors, when it is determined that the instability of the trailer is likely to occur at the future time.