Autonomous Trailer Kingpin Detection and Backing Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles, particularly Class 8 trucks coupling to trailers, face challenges in backing up due to limited visibility and varying heights of trailer kingpins, leading to frequent coupling failures and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous backing system using rear-facing environment sensors, such as lidar and cameras, determines the trailer-mounted coupling device's location, calculates a path, and controls vehicle components like steering, braking, and suspension to align the vehicle-mounted coupling device with the trailer-mounted coupling device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual backing and coupling is used, then the driver has direct control over the vehicle, but visibility limitations and steering difficulty lead to coupling failures and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the vehicle to perform the backing and coupling operation autonomously without continuous driver intervention. The autonomous backing module detects the trailer coupling device, calculates the backing path, and controls the vehicle's steering and braking systems to complete the coupling maneuver automatically, allowing the vehicle to 'serve itself' in this difficult task.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical control system with an autonomous control system that uses sensors (cameras, lidars, radar), processors, and electronic control modules. This substitution of mechanical driver operations with electronic and computational systems enables precise control despite visibility and steering difficulties.
2Manufacturing precision
If the driver attempts to back to the precise location of the kingpin, then coupling accuracy may be improved, but the narrow target width and varying heights make this extremely difficult with limited visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously detects the position and orientation of the trailer coupling device using rear-facing sensors, provides this information to the autonomous backing module, and adjusts the backing path and vehicle control in real-time based on this feedback. This closed-loop control enables precise alignment with the narrow kingpin target despite varying heights and limited visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital representation or model of the physical kingpin target using sensor data and coordinate calculations. The autonomous backing module works with this digital copy to determine the optimal backing path and alignment, rather than relying on the driver's direct visual observation of the physical target.
3Reliability
If the vehicle uses traditional backing methods, then the system complexity remains low, but coupling failures occur frequently due to visibility and height variation issues
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous backing module integrates multiple functions into a single system: it processes data from various sensors (cameras, lidars, radar), calculates the backing path, controls steering and braking, and adapts to varying trailer heights. This multi-functional integration improves reliability while managing system complexity through consolidation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection and path calculation before the actual backing maneuver begins. The autonomous backing module identifies the trailer coupling device, calculates the optimal backing path, and prepares control commands in advance, allowing the vehicle to execute the coupling maneuver with high reliability rather than reacting during the maneuver.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates precise and safe coupling of vehicles to trailers without operator intervention, reducing coupling failures and damage by providing continuous feedback and adjusting to varying trailer heights.
Implementation Method 1
at least one rear-facing environment sensor (e.g., a lidar sensor) mounted on the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
calculating coordinate data based on information received from at least one rear-facing environment sensor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3
AI summary
A method of autonomously backing a vehicle (e.g., a tractor unit) to a trailer (e.g., a semi-trailer) comprising a trailer-mounted coupling device (e.g., a kingpin). The method includes determining, by an autonomous backing module of the vehicle, a target corresponding to the trailer-mounted coupling device; determining, by the autonomous backing module, a path to maneuver the vehicle to the target and align a vehicle-mounted coupling device (e.g., a fifth wheel) with the trailer-mounted coupling device, determining, by the autonomous backing module, commands to components of the vehicle to autonomously control the vehicle to maneuver along the determined path to the target, and transmitting, by the autonomous backing module, the commands to the components of the vehicle (e.g., a braking control module, a steering control module, and/or a torque request module). Suitably configured vehicles are also described.