Patent ID: 8275491

Claim:
A vehicle control system for causing a follower vehicle to follow a leader, comprising: a tether system operatively associated with a leader and a follower vehicle, the tether system comprising: a tether, the tether having a first end adapted to be attached to the leader and a second end adapted to be attached to the follower vehicle; a length sensor operatively associated with the tether, the length sensor sensing a length of the tether extending between the follower vehicle and the leader; and an angle sensor operatively associated with the tether, the angle sensor sensing an angle between the tether and the follower vehicle; a path tracking system operatively associated with the tether system, the path tracking system determining a path traveled by the leader; a path control system operatively associated with the path tracking system, the path control system causing the follower vehicle to travel to a traveled point on the path traveled by the leader; and a direction control system operatively associated with the follower vehicle and the tether system, the direction control system selecting between a forward travel direction and a reverse travel direction for the follower vehicle based on a change in length of the tether.