Patent ID: 11964692
Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 11:
12. A vehicle, comprising:
a steering system; and
a controller:
acquiring image data from the vehicle;
executing an initial alignment process, including:
searching for a trailer, positioned at a distance from the vehicle, within a predetermined area of the image data, the predetermined area being less than a total field of the image data in directions corresponding with both a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and the trailer and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal distance, the predetermined area further being located within an area to the rear of the vehicle illuminated by at least one exterior light;

presenting an indication to a driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle when the trailer is not identified within the predetermined area and removing the indication when the trailer is identified within the predetermined area; and
executing an automated backing process only upon identifying the trailer within the predetermined area, including outputting a steering signal to the vehicle steering system to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with a coupler of the trailer during reversing of the vehicle toward the trailer.