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

Claim 10:
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller:
during the initial alignment process, identifies the trailer within the preselected area of the image data and determines if a sensing condition and a visibility condition are met;
executes the automated backing process, including identifying the coupler of the trailer and outputting the steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align the hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler as a part of a first hitch assist mode when the sensing condition and visibility condition are not met;
further implements a second hitch assistance mode when one of the sensing condition and the visibility condition are not met, the second hitch assistance mode including presenting an image of a best fit path to align the hitch ball with the coupler to a user for guiding user control of the vehicle in reversing the vehicle toward the trailer;
receives a selection signal from the vehicle corresponding with a user selection of a mode before implementing either the first or second hitch assistance mode; and
causes the vehicle to present an indication that the first hitch assist mode may not be selected when one of the sensing condition and the visibility condition are not met.