Hitchless towing

[peanut]

Dump those heavy, cumbersome, dirty hitches.
The future is coming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajs57ELvPiM&t=1s

[jsb5717]

Great minds...I just saw this video and came here to post it. Who knows where it will go but it's definitely an interesting idea. Of course the RV industry will also have to be on board to provide the kind of trailers that can pull this off.

Some initial thoughts:

• So this would require 2 different vehicles, each with their own drive train. Kind of like a truck pulling a motorhome. Practical?
• How would this play into the EV market evolution?

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Great minds...I just saw this video and came here to post it. Who know where it will go but it's definitely an interesting idea. Of course the RV industry will also have to be on board to provide the kind of trailers that can pull this off.

Some initial thoughts:

• So this would require 2 different vehicles, each with their own drive train. Kind of like a truck pulling a motorhome. Practical?
• How would this play into the EV market evolution?

I don't see any practicality for the RV market. It's not a tractor beam from Star Treck, it's one vehichle following another vehichle, each one individually vehicle,. A motorized RV is by definition a motorhome. You can tow a passanger vehicle behind a MH for very little additional fuel usage and for at lot less technology $$$$.

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by flybouy

I don't see any practicality for the RV market. It's not a tractor beam from Star Treck, it's one vehichle following another vehichle, each one individually vehicle,. A motorized RV is by definition a motorhome. You can tow a passanger vehicle behind a MH for very little additional fuel usage and for at lot less technology $$$$.

Yeah, I don't see it either. But at the speed that technology seems to evolve I've learned to never say "never". Who knows what someone will come up with that I can't currently imagine.

I can't see it now but I'll sit back with my popcorn and wait and see...

[JRTJH]

I had something "sort of like this" on a wheeled golf bag several years ago. There was a transmitter that I hung on my belt and a receiver on the golf bag. As I walked the course, the golf bag would follow behind me without me having to drag it. It worked great !!!!!

That is, until it started raining on the 9th hole (furthest from the clubhouse) and I hitched a ride with my buddy who was in a golf cart. There was no room for my "wheeled bag" so I hung the transmitter on his golf bag and we headed in. My bag followed behind perfectly, that is until we crossed the bridge over the bayou on the 12th hole. That's when, with us on the other side of the bridge, my "puppy" following behind us decided to take the short cut around the curve and drove itself straight into the bayou, bubbled a couple times, sank from view and when we got it out, not only were we drenched, it was still sparking and smoking.... That's when I started looking for a golf cart to finish the season.

Looking at this "Toyota innovation", I'd have to ask, what happens when a kid on a bicycle rides between the two vehicles, or when one turns a corner over a bridge (like we did on the golf course) and the "puppy takes the short cut" ?????

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Yeah, I don't see it either. But at the speed that technology seems to evolve I've learned to never say "never". Who knows what someone will come up with that I can't currently imagine.

I can't see it now but I'll sit back with my popcorn and wait and see...

The SiFi author Ivan Toffler said "Technology feeds on itself. Technology makes more technology possible."

This statement is so true. Look at what end user inventions originated from research during the space race. Everything from velcro to microchips, to microwave ovens to many things we use daily. Many famous discoveries are attributed "failures" of an an experiment or research project where the intended result wasn't achieved but rather a different useful purpose was.

[chuckster57]

Interesting, I didn’t see anything about what they are going to with the hitch hanging in the breeze.

[notanlines]

"with us on the other side of the bridge, my "puppy" following behind us decided to take the short cut around the curve and drove itself straight into the bayou, bubbled a couple times, sank from view and when we got it out, not only were we drenched, it was still sparking and smoking....
The best stories are the true stories. This one is worth repeating.

[Max23]

So, after you buy this unit that costs you 250,000 instead of 50,000. It runs off n follows the guy beside you that just happened to by accident have the same frequency programed as you! LMAO! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Badbart56]

What could possibly go wrong?

Really? The technology that we have in our class 8 PACCAR trucks is not even remotely reliable. We constantly have to get the ECM re-flashed because:

(1) The air conditioner compressor locks out (electronically will not engage.)

(2) Radio/Navigation System shuts down at random.

(3) Our 2022 Pete's have a digital dashboard that freezes at random (currently a recall for this issue.)

(4) Faulty sensors that monitor DEF level and puts the truck in limp mode when it falsely believes the DEF tank is empty.

All these systems have had issues for several years through several models of Peterbuilt and Kenworth trucks. It's a known issue yet they can't seem to fix it.

This is why I know that electric and/or self driving trucks will NOT work anytime in the near future. My wife and I have driven trucks with the built in safety features that are supposed to make these trucks safer to drive with collision avoidance. Sometimes the sensors would pick up a false signal and lock the brakes up because it alerted on reflective tape on a bridge underpass. Had the roadway been wet or icy we very well could have lost control or even caused another vehicle to run into the trailer.

As if this problem isn't enough, the geniuses at FMCSA, the DOT division responsible for making the trucking industry safer (run by people that have never driven a truck) has advised that they will be limiting speed on commercial trucks starting next June to a yet to be determined speed. (62, 65. or 68 mph)

What this will do is set the speed limit for ALL traffic on interstate highways because once one truck pulls out to pass another one, no vehicles will be able to maintain the posted speed limit because it will take several miles for a truck running 62.1 mph to pass another truck running 62.090 mph. The plan is to program the truck's ECM to the mandated speed. What we have tried to tell FMCSA is that setting the limit in the ECM will not make all trucks run the exact same speed and that one truck loaded heavier than another truck will be slower prompting other trucks to attempt to pass.

We have already seen this in some companies that currently limit their trucks speed. What they end up with is a glut of slow trucks blocking all traffic. This should be quite interesting in states with interstate speed limits of 75 and 80 mph as passenger cars and light trucks are already running at 85, 95 mph and more. This will not mix well with semi's running 60 something mph and will result in passenger traffic trying to dart between trucks, more so than they do now.

This will cause more supply chain issues and add to the truck driver shortage. The majority of drivers get paid by the mile. Cutting speed means cutting money and will also make the deliveries later. Many drivers that are close to retirement will leave the industry.

On our route it will force us to stay out an extra day. We'll make the same amount of money that we make in four days but won't be able to make it to the last three stops because they won't accept deliveries after 1130 AM. So we will have to start our final deliveries the next day at 530 AM.

We had planned to retire in four years. The money is just too good to walk away from but I'm not sure we can adapt to this. We will see.

[Max23]

Just more gvmt brainless activity. Anyone with 1/4 of a brain knows exactly what your saying with the weight to speed issues. Sooooo many idiots in our over inflated gvmt.

[notanlines]

More info on what Jeff (Bart) was cussing and discussing.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/speed-limiters
This is living proof there's a fool born every minute, and now they've grouped together and formed an organization.

[Max23]

That's an awesome article! So, because 20% of fatal crashes occur in the higher speed areas, let's slow everyone down to where 80% of fatalities occur! LOL.

[Badbart56]

Originally Posted by Max23

That's an awesome article! So, because 20% of fatal crashes occur in the higher speed areas, let's slow everyone down to where 80% of fatalities occur! LOL.

Right?! Using their logic we should raise all the interstate speeds up to 80-85 mph and there would be less crashes!

[wiredgeorge]

Getting back to the original story the OP presented, was the tractor beam first used on Star Trek or Star Wars? Seems like a really fine way to cause a multi-vehicle crash but I am old an resist all new tech. I suspect that the innovators or InCommand came up with this new towing concept.

[Badbart56]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Getting back to the original story the OP presented, was the tractor beam first used on Star Trek or Star Wars?

Well, now that you ask:

https://expmag.com/2022/01/star-trek...eams-so-do-we/

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Getting back to the original story the OP presented, was the tractor beam first used on Star Trek or Star Wars? Seems like a really fine way to cause a multi-vehicle crash but I am old an resist all new tech. I suspect that the innovators or InCommand came up with this new towing concept.

Star Treck depicted them back in the 1960's, long before Star wars.

[vampress_me]

Originally Posted by notanlines

More info on what Jeff (Bart) was cussing and discussing.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/speed-limiters
This is living proof there's a fool born every minute, and now they've grouped together and formed an organization.

I’m thinking it’s prevalent through all appendages of those running this country, in all 54 states….LOL. And sadly, there isn’t going to be much that can be backtracked once it’s a law. I-80 and I-90 already get the clusters from semis trying to pass each other, whether in the mountains or across the flattest part of Nebraska. Better yet, if we could just get these experts out to MT where the speed is already 80 for cars and 70 for semis. And they could experience the fun of a cluster there. People in cars already drive like idiots most of the time, why push this any farther?

[dutchmensport]

I remember reading on a different forum site where someone posted an experience they had driving their motor home and had their car in tow (toad). The incident took place on a California highway (if that makes any difference), and if I remember, somewhere very near the Los Angeles area.

As they were driving on the interstate (far right lane), another car was merging into traffic from an entrance ramp. They person merging into traffic started blowing his horn and got really irate because he tried to wedge between the motor home and the toad! The toad would not move over to let him in. (duh! I wonder why!)

Now imagine towing that car with a tractor beam? Oh wow! Just the thought sends a vision that will probably give me nightmares tonight!

[Mr Mojo]

I read an article on this type of technology over 30 years ago, they should talk to the German Auto Manufacturers first. I don't know if it was ever implemented in Germany, but they were already working on something like this for highway driving.