ford backup assist

[micky]

What is the ford backup assist like. Apparently it's been for sale since 2016 and tnoight is t he first I heard. Does it work?

[Joshua Snow]

No idea.

VW backup assist even helps with backing with a trailer, interesting.

[Clare Snyder]

THAT is what "backup assist" is for. It's not so braindead drivers can back their car into the garage.

[Joshua Snow]

That's very arguable with small garages and large cars, particularly with some cars like hatches where it is hard to see where the corners of the car actually are and it is so easy with a well designed camera to see exactly what the clearance between the car and what isnt the car is.

Impossible to know where the towbar is on mine and its well past the back of the hatch.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I have a surround view camera on my car but never use it for the garage.

No need to know where the corners are. I back in using the right side mirror. I just watch and keep the mirror about 6" from the door frame and go straight back until my window is right across from the drawers of the bench.

Different cars, different garages, works every time within a couple of inches.

As for your towbar, it is illegal to have one in place in some states if it extends past the bumper. No matter, just watch where you are lined up with a mark on the wall.

[micky]

How come you don't just go in forwward and back out.?

[Ed Pawlowski]

I find it easier to just pull out, rather than back into the street, stop, turn and then go. Especially if there is snow. Last house was on a hill and I always went up to leave so the momentum made it easier and safer.

[Joshua Snow]

Bur it isnt that easy when you cant back straight in or in big commercial car parks where you cant back straight in.

I don’t have any cameras on my car at all and don’t even use the mirrors when backing out of where I park under the trees. I know that all I have to do is keep the wheel on hard left lock until I am at right angles to the house even tho the car is a tight fit between the two trees I back out thru.

Not here and even with the towbar proper removed, there is still what it goes into sticking back further than the back of the hatch and it’s the manufacturers tow bar.

Not possible when you arent home.

[Clare Snyder]

"Backup assist" isn't just cameras. After you’ve entered a few measurements into the system, the camera tracks the trailer position while you are backing up and guiding the trailer. You simply rotate the knob left or right in the direction you want the trailer to go while the system controls the steering wheel.

see

[Joshua Snow]

Yes, but that works better than the alternatives when deciding how far back you can go without hitting something or when backing into a slot in a car park where you cant back straight in.

And with avoiding running over little kids when backing too.

And a camera helps a lot when backing up to the trailer and getting the tow ball next to the hitch particularly when the trailer isnt even visible in the mirror or when looking back thru the back window.

And it isnt always easy to just move the trailer by hand.

That's not how the VW system does it.

That's just one way of doing it.

[micky]

Interesting.

A lot of my neighbors back in, and they sort of have your first problem except that it's a local very quiet street.

I never saw this in Pa. or Ind.

I've heard it's especially common in Maryland.

A lot of the neihbors are black, and I fancy they got in the habit in case the Klan came and they had to leave quickly, but I can't very well ask anyone that (except for one I was close enough friends with but who died.) I googled this once and got hits but now I can't remember what they said.

[Clare Snyder]

The OP asked SPECIFICALLY about the ford system - known as "pro trailer assist" if I remember correctly.