Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Timothy John Zuraw

Stuart C Salter

John Robert Van Wiemeersch

Brendan F Diamond

Thomas Lee Miller

Hussein H Berry

Ronald Patrick Brombach

Scott Alan Watkins

Douglas George Rosner

Conrad M Smith

Steven M Sundberg

Upon detecting a user departing a passenger cabin of a vehicle, a pose of the user is determined relative to the vehicle. A classification for a vehicle door is determined based on the pose. The classification is one of monitored or unmonitored. A sensor is controlled to monitor the vehicle door based on the classification.

Vehicle sensor control for optimized monitoring

An electronic control unit used in, e.g., a towing vehicle includes a processing device configured to determine an initial electrical load of a trailer system, detect changes in the electrical load, and generate an alarm signal if the electrical load is substantially different from the initial electrical load. A method includes determining an electrical load of a trailer system prior to arming a vehicle alarm system, detecting changes in the electrical load after arming the vehicle alarm system, and triggering the alarm system if the electrical load is substantially different from the electrical load determined prior to arming the vehicle alarm system.

Trailer theft detection and alarm

An apparatus for validating a connection between a vehicle and a trailer is provided. The apparatus comprising a controller configured to detect an object positioned rearward of the vehicle and to receive first information indicative of a first distance between the object and the vehicle. The controller further configured to monitor transmission status of the vehicle in response to the first information and to determine whether the first distance between the object and the vehicle is decreasing in response to transmission status indicating that the vehicle is in reverse. The controller being further configured to determine that the object is a trailer in the event the first distance between the object and the vehicle has not decreased while the vehicle is in reverse.

Apparatus and method for automatically validating a trailer connection

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Timothy John Zuraw