A method of maneuvering a vehicle-trailer unit in reverse travel with a backing system, wherein the trailer has a front with a trailer tongue and the vehicle has a rear with a trailer hitch, the trailer tongue being connected to the trailer hitch allowing a horizontal swivel movement of the trailer around the hitch, the method comprising: determining that the vehicle-trailer unit is backing up with an electronic control unit for the backing system; determining a current hitch angle representing the relative angle between the vehicle and the trailer with the electronic control unit; inputting a first requested hitch angle with an input device (16, 116) being a hand-held display connected to the electronic control unit by moving the input device (16, 116) within a standard range of motion by way of pivoting the hand-held display toward a desired direction to travel; calculating the first requested hitch angle with the electronic control unit based on the movement of the input device (16, 116) within the standard range of motion, wherein the standard range of motion limits the requested hitch angle to a first maximum value to prevent jack-knifing of the vehicle-trailer unit; inputting a second requested hitch angle with the input device (16, 116) connected to the electronic control unit by moving the input device (16, 116) within a maximum range of motion by way of pressing and hold a button on the hand-held display while continuing to pivot the hand-held display toward the desired direction of travel; calculating the second requested hitch angle with the electronic control unit, based on the movement of the input device (16, 116) within the maximum range of motion, wherein the maximum range of motion does not limit the actual hitch angle; calculating a steering angle with the electronic control unit based upon one of the first and second requested hitch angles, wherein the steering angle will allow movement of the vehicle-trailer unit in the reverse direction to obtain the first and second requested hitch angle; and sending a request to a steering system to provide the steering angle. determining that the vehicle-trailer unit is backing up with an electronic control unit for the backing system; determining a current hitch angle representing the relative angle between the vehicle and the trailer with the electronic control unit; inputting a first requested hitch angle with an input device (16, 116) being a hand-held display connected to the electronic control unit by moving the input device (16, 116) within a standard range of motion by way of pivoting the hand-held display toward a desired direction to travel; calculating the first requested hitch angle with the electronic control unit based on the movement of the input device (16, 116) within the standard range of motion, wherein the standard range of motion limits the requested hitch angle to a first maximum value to prevent jack-knifing of the vehicle-trailer unit; inputting a second requested hitch angle with the input device (16, 116) connected to the electronic control unit by moving the input device (16, 116) within a maximum range of motion by way of pressing and hold a button on the hand-held display while continuing to pivot the hand-held display toward the desired direction of travel; calculating the second requested hitch angle with the electronic control unit, based on the movement of the input device (16, 116) within the maximum range of motion, wherein the maximum range of motion does not limit the actual hitch angle; calculating a steering angle with the electronic control unit based upon one of the first and second requested hitch angles, wherein the steering angle will allow movement of the vehicle-trailer unit in the reverse direction to obtain the first and second requested hitch angle; and sending a request to a steering system to provide the steering angle.