Patent ID: 8335607

Claim:
A control system for linking a plurality of electrically driven road vehicles together, comprising: a coupling input and a coupling output disposed on each of the plurality of vehicles, each coupling input of each vehicle being configured to releasably engage each coupling output of another vehicle to provide a mechanical and electrical coupling of the plurality of vehicles together, wherein each coupling output is configured to extend and retract from a vehicle it is secured to and each coupling output is configured to rotate about an axis each coupling output extends and retracts; a control system located on each of the plurality of vehicles, the control system communicating with the coupling input and the coupling output to detect when the coupling input or the coupling output is engaged with another vehicle via a respective coupling input or coupling output, the control system being further configured to operate in a lead vehicle mode or a trailing vehicle mode when the control system detects that the coupling input or the coupling output is engaged with another vehicle, wherein the lead vehicle mode causes the control system of the lead vehicle to control another vehicle coupled to the lead vehicle and the trailing vehicle mode causes the control system to be controlled by the lead vehicle coupled to the vehicle.