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GM Files Patent For Wireless Trailer Connection

GM has filed a patent for a system that will wirelessly connect a trailer to a tow vehicle, circumventing the need for a wired connection to transmit signals and information between the two.

The new General Motors patent application has been assigned patent number US 2023/0328490 A1 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and was published on October 12th, 2023. The patent was originally filed on April 12th, 2022, and lists several Michigan-based engineers as the inventors, including Todd J. Brinkman, Curtis L. Hay, and Priya B. Abraham, as well as Canada-based engineer Ralph David Schlottke.

GM patent application for a wireless trailer connection.

As the patent points out, data transmission and communication between a towing vehicle and a trailer typically requires some sort of physical connection through electronic wires. These wires provide a number of different functions to the trailer, including supplying electrical power, as well as coupling electronic signals for things like the application of the brakes and activation of the trailer lights (brake lights, turn signals, reversing lights, and the like).

These systems can be compromised if the operator fails to make the physical connection, or if the connection itself is broken or damaged. As such, a wireless, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) solution could provide one solution with regard to transmitting information and digital signals.

As the automotive industry moves increasingly towards digital systems, electric vehicles, and automation, the inclusion of a wireless V2V connection between a tow vehicle and a trailer makes quite a lot of sense. General Motors has already filed to patent other systems that advance the typical outdoor activities enjoyed by modern enthusiasts to future-leaning vehicles, such as a system capable of estimating the energy consumption of an electric vehicle used for off-roading. GM has also patented a tow assist system that could enable vehicles to enjoy larger towing capacities. Combined with modern EV tech, all of these systems could make for an interesting weekend adventure setup.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Not sure how I feel about this. I typically really prefer wireless, but random disconnects are not unusual and while it is annoying on most devices it could be dangerous on trailer brakes. The upside, of course would be less physical connection points to fail, though trailer wiring can often fail due to poor grounds or other connections that have corrosion, not just where it plugs into the vehicle. I’d even argue that the vehicle connection is the easiest to keep in good condition since it is easy to get to and maintain. I applaud the innovation and will remain cautiously optimistic until these systems start to hit the road and we can see how they hold up and if they prove more or less reliabe.

    Reply
  2. I am sure you will get a failed communication and malfunction warnings.
    You will need to have a battery onboard your trailer and you will not be able to keep it charged without a wire or as GMA refers to it “electronic wiring” that is a new one on me.

    Reply
    1. Good to see GMA proofreads and corrects the posts after posting it.

      Reply
  3. This is not new technology. As a former Product Manager for a tow hitch company, we pitched under bed light to GM in 2006. In 2009 we pitched TPMS sensors for trailer tires and light out trailer monitoring. In 2010 we pitched ball mounts that sensed trailer tongue weight and wireless trailer connecting. All of these to GM engineers. The hurdle with a wireless connection was always the electrical supply. Our long term solution was induction charging thru the ball Mount and trailer tongue. The short term solution was to get a trailer manufacturer to prototype a regeneration magnet in the brake system to generate electricity to charge batteries while moving. Our failure was that we couldnt assemble the stakeholders on the OE and RV sides to buy in at the time.

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  4. This will be great for the camera and tire pis system but not for the brakes and charging the batteries. That’s two systems you never want to lose a connection from your tow vehicle.

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  5. I think it will be a great update to the product and it will really take trailering and hauling into the 21 century and all the manual systems connectors can be buried with the obsolete invention that makes the competition for best connectors look rather won than something universal and we can rely on ensured stock market value and maintain our resale value without hesitation.

    Reply

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