Vector-based driver assistance for towing vehicle

A method of monitoring a trailer, the method comprising:

• determining, with a processor, a first vector for a host vehicle based on a signal received from an acceleration sensor coupled to the processor;
• determining, with the processor, a second vector for the host vehicle based on a signal received from a second vehicle sensor coupled to the processor;
• determining, based on the first vector for the host vehicle and the second vector for the host vehicle, a velocity vector for the host vehicle at a location near a rear of the host vehicle at a defined lateral distance from a trailer hitch installed on the host vehicle;
• determining a velocity vector for the trailer at a location near a front of the trailer at approximately the same defined lateral distance from the trailer hitch;
• comparing the velocity vector for the host vehicle to the velocity vector of the trailer;
• determining, based on the comparison of the velocity vector of the host vehicle to the velocity vector of the trailer, whether a jackknife condition is likely to occur;
• and
• generating a warning signal when a jackknife condition is about to occur.

A method of monitoring a trailer, the method comprising:

• determining a velocity vector for a host vehicle at a location near a rear of the host vehicle at a defined lateral distance from a trailer hitch installed on the host vehicle;
• determining a hitch vector for the host vehicle at a location of the trailer hitch;
• determining a hitch vector for the trailer at the location of the trailer hitch based on the hitch vector for the host vehicle, the hitch vector for the trailer being substantially similar to the hitch vector for the vehicle due to a mechanical coupling between the host vehicle and the trailer at the location of the trailer hitch;
• determining a trailer angle of the trailer based on image data captured by a rear-facing camera positioned on the host vehicle;
• determining a velocity vector for the trailer at a location near a front of the trailer at the defined lateral distance from the trailer hitch, wherein the velocity vector for the trailer is determined based at least in part on the hitch vector for the trailer and the determined trailer angle;
• comparing the velocity vector for the host vehicle to the velocity vector for the trailer;
• and
• generating an output signal indicative of movement of the trailer relative to the host vehicle based on the comparison.