2016 Ford F-150 adds trailer backup-assist feature - Detroit Free Press
Experienced towers know to steer the truck one way to get the trailer to go in the opposite direction. For the 2016 model year, Ford is adding a trailer backup assist feature to the F-150 for backing up your trailer. It is a first for the segment, said Mike Bell, a vehicle dynamics engineer, and largely consists of software and a control knob on the dashboard. Turn a knob in the direction the trailer needs to go and let the truck automatically steer it onto place. Related : 5 stars: Aluminum Ford F-150 gets top score for safety. "The sensation is that you are driving the trailer," said Brad Hochrein, Ford chassis controls supervisor. It takes a step out of the mental calculation, said Don Mattern, senior engineer who led the development of the feature for which Ford has five patents and another 10 pending. "For the amateur truck tower, it is a big improvement in control and safety in helping you master the art of backing up a trailer which is quite intimidating for people," said analyst Dave Sullivan of AutoPacific. Source: www.freep.com
