Ford Introduces Pro Trailer Hitch Assist

Ford Motor Company has been a leading innovator in the automotive industry since its earliest days, and is now making another leap forward by introducing an industry-first technology that makes the most of artificial intelligence to help make hitching a truck and trailer easier than ever

The process of hitching a truck and trailer together can be challenging and time consuming, even with a spotter, as you try to position the truck’s hitch ball under the trailer hitch coupler. With the help of Ford’s new tech, called Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, you can reduce the difficulty of the situation. Pro Trailer Hitch Assist uses the rear camera and corner radar of your truck to align the hitch with the trailer coupler while controlling the truck’s speed, steering, and braking at the same time, allowing the truck to stop at just the right place. 

“Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is another smart solution to save time for our customers,” said John Emmert, Ford Truck general manager. “Instead of struggling to hitch a trailer alone or with a spotter, customers can now get hitched more confidently and on their way to the lake or a jobsite.”

Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is simple and easy to operate. All it takes is the push of a button, and then you can watch the process on your truck’s large center screen display. The system detects the hitch ball, trailer, and coupler at distances of up to 20 feet.  While the truck backs up to the trailer, the system determines the best path to follow, and computer vision detects both the hitch ball and trailer. The driver verifies that the coupler is positioned higher than the hitch ball, and then the truck’s control algorithms steer the truck, lining it up so the hitch ball can be positioned directly beneath the trailer’s coupler. The process is quicker than traditional hitching, reduces maneuvering mistakes, and allows you to connect your trailer and get on the road with improved confidence.

The Pro-Trailer Hitch Assist technology was developed by Ford’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems team, and the technology joins an impressive suite of driver-assistance technologies already available for F-Series trucks, including Pro Trailer Backup Assist, Onboard scales, Smart taillamps, and class-exclusive Smart Hitch.

Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is now available for the F-150, the F-150 Lightning and the all-new F-Series Super Duty. If you’re interested in any of these trucks and in experiencing Pro Trailer Hitch Assist technology for yourself, take a look at our available inventory online to see what we have in stock!