Hands up for those of you who can expertly reverse a trailer around a corner. Anyone? Not many, I bet; all that counter steering to the right to reverse a trailer to the left while trying not to jack knife the trailer and car is not an easy task!
We’ve all smirked at those attempting to neatly park their boat trailer or whatever and making a complete ass of themselves, but secretly knowing we couldn’t do it any better.
Well help will, shortly, be at hand. At least if you have an Audi fitted with its latest Man Machine Interface.
I recently tested a system Audi engineers have developed that takes the embarrassment out of parking your trailer.
They have engineered a new tow hitch that has a sensor in its center and a ring around its outer surface which is electronically linked, via the MMI, to the power steering system.
Once the car is in reverse the MMI knob is used to ‘steer’ the car and trailer, all you have to do is rotate the knob to the left or right according to which way you’re reversing. None of that counter steering is required.
The sensor detects the outer rings rotation and, using a clever algorithm, controls the steering angle of the front wheels. The driver keeps his/her hands off the steering wheel and simply uses either the door mirrors or the MMI screen to reverse the combo into the chosen space.
It’s one of those brilliantly simple, “Why hasn’t someone thought of it before?” ideas and will become available within a few years.
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