Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen a lot of systems become wireless. From earphones to charging your phones; wireless technology never fails to baffle the masses. Now, Toyota has gone a step further, as the company’s working on hitch-less towing.
As the name suggests, you’ll be able to haul a vehicle or a trailer, but without a tow hitch. Because towing is so common on the roadways, this could be quite the revolution in the automotive industry. This is in R & D right now, but let’s discuss what we know.
Toyota’s new technology for hauling
Towing is a part of life as we’ve all had a breakdown at one point or another. It is a stressful situation, especially if you don’t have the right equipment or the know-how.
Sitting inside a car being towed with a non-tow truck and operating the steering can be an arduous task for many. This is especially if the hauling process is being done in a tight-knit area or one with heavy traffic. Turning with the towing car can be tricky.
But Toyota may just have the solution here. On August 29th, we witnessed a video which showed two Toyota Sienna MPVs driving right after another. From the clip, it seemed as if there were two Siennas that were being driven in sync, which may not seem fishy.
However, it was explained that the minivan in the front was actually towing the one in the back. As weird as it sounds, the vans were connected wirelessly and so the rear one was completely dependent upon the one in the front.
As with any Toyota, you can expect this system to be very dependable. Even if something goes south, one can always find a supply of genuine Toyota parts, like from here: https://sts-global.com/toyota-parts
The benefits of hitch-less towing
This is an innovation that may not have been needed according to some consumers. They say that it solves a non-existent problem that doesn’t require the attention that it’s getting. This is not true though, as autonomous systems are all the hype today.
Like the technologies mentioned in the first paragraph, it should be noted that this is more than just a gimmick. Towing without a hitch does have its advantages and this is a technology that can make quite a difference. Here’s how:
Higher safety
Let’s say that you’re the unfortunate person that’s sitting in the towed car. Ever had problems while turning in the towed vehicle? Or, have you ever experienced a difficulty in stopping the towed car when the tower hit the brakes? Well, you’re not alone.
Being towed around can be a nightmare, especially since you’re stressed out. This system looks to take towing to an autonomous level though. It should seem as when the system is turned on, the rear vehicle should automatically adjust to the turns.
This will mean that the driver won’t have to put in their input, and they’ll be able to relax for a while. Even if this isn’t the case, the setup should still have an automated emergency braking system to stop the rear car from bumping into the one upfront.
No equipment needed
Imagine breaking down in the middle of nowhere and finding someone who’s willing to help with their car. It would be a nightmarish scenario though, if you didn’t have a towing hitch or a winch to fasten both the cars together.
With this technology, you really won’t need any physical equipment according to what’s shown in the video. The clip shows us that the minivans seem to have some sort of systems on and it is powerful enough to tow the rear van.
This means that anyone with the wireless towing setup in their Toyota will be able to help you out, even if they’re not that skilled at doing a tow-truck’s job. It should make up for a lack of mobile reception in a remote area, or a lack of towing essentials.
Sick to look at
If you watch the video without the info given in this piece, you might not be able to tell if anything’s unusual. However, when you realize that there’s a towing procedure going on, you’ll be likely to be bamboozled.
This is a technology that looks like it came out of the Cyberpunk 2077 video game. It is truly a unique feature amidst all the tech development that’s going on in the automotive industry today.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
