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Trailer Towing Made Safer With Help From Electronics
The advent of new electronic driving aids are set to make towing a trailer safer. New systems now available on some Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz models are able to detect the dreaded fishtailing quickly and take corrective action by interacting with the electronic stability programs.
With their yaw rate sensor, electronic tailer stability systems can detect this oscillating motion sooner than would a typical driver and act on the towing vehicle to counteract it through the electronic stability program. The oscillating motion is countered by selective application of the brakes at the front left and right wheels individually and alternately. If the motion is severe enough, the system reduces engine power and applies the brakes on the trailer to bring the speed below the critical range quickly. The warning light on the dashboard of the towing vehicle is often the first sign the driver gets as the trouble is being averted. The system is already offered on many high-end models such as the Porsche Cayenne, Volkswagen Touareg, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and M-Class. It is also being made available for more mainstream model such as the Volkswagen Passat and Opel Astra as standard equipment or part of an optional towing package.
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Fishtailing is the term given to this oscillating motion about the vehicle's
vertical axis which can build up to reach a critical level where towing
vehicle and trailer can loose control.
