The Latest in Towing Technology

I learned to drive a bumper-pull trailer a “few” years back in my dad’s Grand Wagoneer – you remember that 1980s über-boxy “utility wagon” with faux wood paneling along the sides and tailgate? Ours had a clunky electric brake controller that I regularly bashed my knee on. Sway-control bars were about the most “high-tech” feature we had.

There were no fancy backup cameras then. I had to learn the hard way how to hitch up solo – looking for landmarks (the smudge aligns with the edge of the whozeewhatzit) to line everything up, then jumping in and out of the vehicle, making little adjustments until the ball was centered under the coupler. If only there was a button I could have pushed to do that for me. Spoiler alert!

Since then, I’ve pulled various boat, horse, and utility trailers thousands of miles with a Jeep Liberty and a couple of Toyota 4Runners, and, honestly, the towing experience hasn’t been a whole lot different from those early days. My sometimes-tow-vehicle is also my daily driver, so I haven’t had a reason to investigate heavier-duty haulers … until now. It feels like I’ve just woken from a 30-year coma!

Currently, you’ll find many of the state-of-the-art features only in heavier duty pickups, but there are still some handy towing and safety options that have trickled down to lighter-duty pickups, large SUVs, and even smaller- to midsized SUVs. If you’re in the market for a new (or newer) tow vehicle, you should know about these modern technologies. You probably never knew you needed them, but they’re certain to make your towing life better and safer.

Eyes in the back of your head

Most modern vehicles have at least a single backup camera, so that technology isn’t surprising. But what might be is being able to view 360 degrees around the vehicle AND the trailer – some with 15 unique views from birds-eye to zoom. Not only does this allow you to easily see the coupler for easier hitching, sensors can automatically detect the trailer being towed and extend the area of detection and alerts to include vehicle AND trailer blind spots for increased safety and confidence. The views appear on an in-dash multimedia display or even in the rearview mirror. Some manufacturers such as GMC/Chevrolet even offer a “transparent” trailer view, allowing you to see what’s directly behind your trailer. The cameras also make other cool towing features, like hitch alignment and backup assist, possible.

Get hitched

On the verge of divorce over hitching up the boat trailer? Ford’s Pro Trailer Hitch Assist uses the vehicle’s rear camera, corner radars, and advanced machine learning to detect the hitch ball, trailer, and coupler at distances of up to 20 feet. Press a button on the dash and the vehicle’s control algorithms take over to autonomously steer, accelerate, and brake until the ball is positioned directly under the trailer’s coupler.

Chevy/GMC offers a less automated version called Hitch Guidance with Hitch View. When in reverse, Hitch Guidance displays a centered guideline on the rear camera that extends from behind the vehicle to the trailer coupler, adjusting as you turn your vehicle while backing. Hitch View offers a zoomed-in view of the hitch ball and coupler for precision, and allows you to briefly check the hitch connection on the vehicle’s multimedia display while driving.

Back ’er up

Backing a trailer can be stressful – especially if you have an audience at the ramp. Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist, Ram’s Trailer Reverse Steering Control, and Land Rover’s Advanced Tow Assist remove the opportunity for error with backup assistance technology. Simply rotate a knob in the direction you want the trailer to go, and the system controls the steering wheel while the driver oversees accelerating and braking as needed.

Toyota offers its own version called Trailer Backup Guide that provides a choice of steering control (Straight Path Assist) or guidance for manual steering backup. The system calculates the trailer angle using image processing from the rear camera and determines trailer length and hitch length during a calibration maneuver. Guidance mode provides a trailer direction arrow that indicates the path the trailer will swing, and offers a jackknife warning. Straight Path Assist controls steering to back up the trailer in a straight line. Like Ford and Ram’s systems, the driver remains in control of acceleration and braking.

Chevrolet/GMC doesn’t yet have technology to back your trailer for you, but does have a trailer angle indicator and jackknife alert. The reverse camera display has optional guideline indicators that show two tracks – the current location of your trailer and its predicted path.

Smooth and steady

There’s nothing scarier (or potentially more dangerous) than your trailer swaying or fishtailing behind you. Many of today’s tow vehicles have electronic sway control that automatically detects and corrects trailer sway by applying brakes to individual wheels and decreasing engine torque to help maintain control of the trailer. This feature has been around for at least a decade. But it’s now standard in most towing vehicles, and can even be found in smaller SUVs.

Getting there (and back)

If you’re heading to a new put-in spot, you might not be as familiar with the roads to get there. Ford and Ram’s navigation systems offer tow-specific navigation and trailer-optimized routing, adapting the route based on height and width clearances.

Keeping track

Be honest. Do you check your trailer lights before you head out every time? What about following your dad’s advice to check the trailer tire pressure? Enter in-app monitoring. Some app- or touchscreen-controlled systems will test trailer lights, monitor tire pressure and temperature, provide predeparture checklists, offer trailer theft detection, remind you to put the vehicle in tow/haul mode, calculate the load, alert you if the trailer or tongue weight is over capacity, send maintenance reminders, and more.

Change on the fly

We’re all familiar with cruise control, but many newer vehicles have what’s called adaptive cruise control. You set the cruising speed and distance from a vehicle ahead of you. If that vehicle slows down, ACC slows your vehicle to match it – and resumes the preset speed when traffic picks up again. You may have been cautioned against using ACC while towing, but there’s a caveat here: Some ACC systems, like those in some GMC/Chevy and Ram vehicles, are designed to be used while towing. They are programmed to account for the extra drag and increased braking distances required. (Always check your vehicle owner’s manual for manufacturer recommendations.)

Adaptive variable suspension eliminates the trade-offs between ride and handling. It automatically adjusts damping force based on road conditions, which enhances comfort, handling, and towing stability.

Some vehicles feature “intelligent range,” which compensates for load and driving conditions – especially useful/necessary for electric vehicles like the Rivian. It will automatically sense weight and trailer aerodynamics to predict the range. Impressively, it has continuous learning, which means the more you tow, the more accurate the range prediction becomes.

Brake it up

Ever get your hitch lined up just right only to get out of the vehicle and it rolls back a few inches? Chevrolet offers an automatic electric parking brake that automatically engages the parking brake when you shift into park after engaging the hitch view camera, preventing unintentional roll.

The company’s Park Grade Hold Assist feature helps hold the vehicle firmly in place on inclines or declines of 8% or more. And it keeps the transmission linkage from binding to shift into gear more easily after parking on steep grades – ideal for launch ramps. \

The technology certainly isn’t new, but many tow vehicles now come with integrated electric brake controllers, built into the dash right from the factory vs. adding them aftermarket. The controller is connected to the vehicle’s electrical, antilock braking, and stability control systems, allowing the trailer’s brakes to operate simultaneously with the vehicle’s.

Transformer tailgate

Need to access your pickup’s cargo bed while you have the boat hooked up? A couple manufacturers offer multifunction tailgates so you can still have access to your toys, coolers, or other items. Ram was the first to offer this option with its 60/40 split “barn doors,” and Ford is debuting its version on the 2024 F-150. A 37-inch-wide door in the center of the gate has check stops to stop the door shy of any trailer jack while offering the ability to reach in or step up into the bed.

Scope it out

Even with all the cameras now available, tow mirrors are still critical. Several manufacturers such as Toyota, Ram, and Chevrolet have taken it a step further and added telescoping towing side mirrors. They extend outward to give you a wider viewing area and retract for easier parking or tight spaces.

Riding on air

In a nutshell, air suspension adjusts the rear of the vehicle to help keep the load level while towing. Not a new concept, it began being widely used in the 1950s but can be traced back to the early 1900s. Many folks will install it aftermarket, but it’s starting to become a more common factory-installed option.

What’s new, though, is adaptive air suspension, meaning it will automatically adjust based on driving conditions, but also can be controlled manually. It has many benefits for towing boat trailers beyond merely leveling out the load. It can make hitching and unhitching easier by manually raising or lowering the vehicle when the jack can’t. Parking your rig overnight and there’s rain in the forecast? Simply raise the back end of the vehicle so the boat is angled and water can drain more easily. It can also help at the ramp for keeping the back end of your tow vehicle out of the water, and increase the angle of the trailer for the boat to slide off. While the benefits are great, there aren’t many tow vehicles that offer it. You’ll find this on some Jeep, Toyota, and Ram vehicles along with Range Rover.

Tow/haul mode

OK, this feature has been around for almost 25 years. Your tow vehicle likely has it installed, but do you use it, or know what it does? Turning on tow/haul mode adjusts the vehicle’s shift schedule so the transmission isn’t hunting for the correct gear while trailering. Plus, it will use engine braking when descending a grade instead of wearing out your brakes.

Mazda found that the swaying motions inherent to towing cause the front and rear tires to turn at slightly different speeds. In towing mode, the CX-50 preloads the AWD torque coupling that connects the front and rear wheels, forcing them to turn at the same speed and resist the sway motion.