Introducing Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, Ford’s Newest AI Tech

Ford has a wealth of different driver assistance technologies available on the different F-Series trucks to make driving easier, including Pro Trailer Backup Assist, Onboard scales, Smart taillamps, and class-exclusive Smart Hitch. Now, the company is adding a new, AI-powered technology to the list, called Pro Trailer Hitch Assist.

Hitching a truck can take a long time and be a frustrating challenge, even for the most experienced drivers, and the assistance of a spotter can only help so much as you’re trying to get the truck’s hitch ball lined up under the trailer hitch coupler. Pro Trailer Hitch Assist helps to reduce the difficulty of that situation by using the truck’s rear camera and corner radar to align the hitch with the trailer coupler and control the truck’s speed, steering, and braking simultaneously. This allows the truck to stop at just the right place, making it far easier to hitch up your trailer. 

“Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is another smart solution to save time for our customers,” said John Emmert, Ford Truck general manager. “Instead of struggling to hitch a trailer alone or with a spotter, customers can now get hitched more confidently and on their way to the lake or a jobsite.”

Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is operated by the simple push of a button. The process is then shown on the truck’s large center screen display for the driver to watch. The Pro Trailer Hitch Assist system detects the hitch ball, trailer, and coupler at distances of up to 20 feet.  It determines the best path for the truck to follow as it backs up to the trailer, and the system’s computer vision detects both the hitch ball and trailer. The driver verifies that the coupler is positioned above the hitch ball, and the truck’s control algorithms steer the truck and line it up until the hitch ball is positioned directly beneath the trailer’s coupler.

The process of using Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is much quicker than traditional hitching, both because of its efficiency and because it reduces maneuvering mistakes that human error can cause. The system provides drivers with increased confidence, taking the stress out of driving with a trailer.

Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is now available on the F-150 truck, as well as the electric F-150 Lightning and the all-new F-Series Super Duty. If you’re interested in trying any of these trucks for yourself and getting to experience Pro Trailer Hitch Assist technology, you can check out our available inventory online and take a look at what we have in stock!