2016 F150 backs a trailer FOR you (because you can't drive)

Oh boy. Amazing tech...but hope I'm not next to this guy at the boat ramp...

http://www.wired.com/2015/05/ford-makes-backing-trailer-easy-turning-knob/

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/05/21/we-test-the-2016-ford-f-150-pro-trailer-backup-assist/

Better video here http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2015/05/ford-unveils-pro-trailer-backup-assist-for-2016-f-150.html

Dunno what's worse, sitting at the ramp next to a guy who cant back up a trailer well or a computer doing it for him. Maybe im a trailer snob having learned the art of backing up a trailer at the ripe age of 4..still blows my mind seeing people who own trucks that cant back up a trailer, like the parallel parking thing. Hey whens the automated cars coming out? Im bored of driving, id rather text. Ha..ha..ha...

I can just imagine the face of the owner of a brand new truck when they feel the crunch of a front fender hitting a tree in a campground or something similar because they were just staring at the back up camera screen on the dash.

ultraclyde wrote: ...hope I'm not next to this guy at the boat ramp...

Considering what I see people do on boat ramps, I rather hope I am.

Not to rant but (major generalization ahead) men are getting wimpier every day. From adult males posting thier lives on Facebook to seriously not knowing how to pump gas let alone change a tire.

I expect EVERY guy to be able to talk about cars and trucks, at least knowing enough to contribute to a conversation about them.

If there's a guy out there even thinking about using a trailer and doesn't set his mind to "man up" and learn it, I don't want to know him.

Pretty soon the boat side of the equation will be covered too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5ejwRj9t1Q

In Soviet Russia, you don't back up trailer, trailer backs up yoooooou!

Its all been downhill since electric starters and vacuum advance. Whats next, Am AND Fm radios?!?!

Hydraulic brakes started us down this path.

Tools of the devil I tell ya!

ebonyandivory wrote: I expect EVERY guy to be able to talk about cars and trucks, at least knowing enough to contribute to a conversation about them.

Just out of curiosity- can you contribute to a conversation about football, futbol, hockey, or baseball?

As I see it, there are a lot more men interested in stick and ball sports than there are interested in cars. Especially where I work.

I don't even think that would make the process easier.

logdog wrote: Its all been downhill since electric starters and vacuum advance. Whats next, Am AND Fm radios?!?!

I've got a totally radical idea for lazy motorists! How about a device that maintains you at a steady cruising speed with out using your foot on the gas pedal? I've also been thinking about a way to make windshield wipers run in an on/off/on fashion for when the rain is light.

Doesn't mention if brakes are intregal.

I can see now that someone will use this and back all the way into the water, sinking the truck and blaming it on the system for not stopping.

In reply to ebonyandivory:

I hear ya! My 60+ y.o. mother can back her 4 horse trailer back down an 80 yard dirt driveway with bumps and a corner. She don't need no electronic aids.

ebonyandivory wrote: Not to rant but (major generalization ahead) men are getting wimpier every day. From adult males posting thier lives on Facebook to seriously not knowing how to pump gas let alone change a tire. I expect EVERY guy to be able to talk about cars and trucks, at least knowing enough to contribute to a conversation about them. If there's a guy out there even thinking about using a trailer and doesn't set his mind to "man up" and learn it, I don't want to know him.

Facebook is just a means of communicating. We set up all our race events and coordinate team activities through there. Half my posts are photos of me racing or working on cars (the other half, mostly pics of my kids sitting in my cars or helping me put tools away). Not sure how that is "wimpy." GRM has a facebook page, by the way. We use facebook to help out the "newbies" who rallycross with us in preparing their car, etc. You don't have to hang out at the sports bar on the corner every night to be "manly" lol.

That said, if you can't back a trailer up without a computer doing it, you need to man up and learn. While it may work great at a wide-open boat ramp, there are times when backing still requires more attention than a camera to see what's going on.

irish44j wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote: From adult males posting thier lives on Facebook ...

Facebook is just a means of communicating. We set up all our race events and coordinate team activities through there.

FWIW I didn't take his comment as a knock on the use of Facebook itself, but more-so those who pour out their constant soul searching drivel, whoa is me, self status updates.

Facebook for event planning on car stuff is great!

carry on.

I want to see it back up a wagon. I'm somewhat proficient at backing trailers, but even growing up on a farm backing a wagon was an exercise in futility for me.

Wow the keyboard commando's are out in full force here today...

this is a cool innovation and it will help ford sell trucks. Complain all you want. It's a brilliant move. Kudos to Ford.

Now how about you get off my lawn.

bigdaddylee82 wrote: I want to see it back up a wagon. I'm somewhat proficient at backing trailers, but even growing up on a farm backing a wagon was an exercise in futility for me.

You've never had to hone back up skills until you've tried to back up a hay wagon.

alfadriver wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote: I expect EVERY guy to be able to talk about cars and trucks, at least knowing enough to contribute to a conversation about them.

Just out of curiosity- can you contribute to a conversation about football, futbol, hockey, or baseball? As I see it, there are a lot more men interested in stick and ball sports than there are interested in cars. Especially where I work.

This describes my coworkers, they've quit asking me about my projects, and for car advice, because they don't understand/want to hear it or want to learn for that matter. They really thought I was pulling their legs when I mentioned the spider gears were wore out on one of our Jeep's rear ends. "You've got spiders in your rear end?!?!??"

They all know way more about NFL and MLB than I've ever cared about though. At least during college football season we share a common interest.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Wow the keyboard commando's are out in full force here today... this is a cool innovation and it will help ford sell trucks. Complain all you want. It's a brilliant move. Kudos to Ford. Now how about you get off my lawn.

Honestly, it is cool tech, but I would rather do it myself. There have been really tricky situations that I don't think I would want a computer trying to figure it out.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Wow the keyboard commando's are out in full force here today... this is a cool innovation and it will help ford sell trucks. Complain all you want. It's a brilliant move. Kudos to Ford. Now how about you get off my lawn.

I didnt get a harumph out of that guy!

In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid: This, completely. Im fully comfortable backing trailers, but put a wagon behind me and I am useless.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Wow the keyboard commando's are out in full force here today... this is a cool innovation and it will help ford sell trucks. Complain all you want. It's a brilliant move. Kudos to Ford. Now how about you get off my lawn.

Honestly, it is cool tech, but I would rather do it myself. There have been really tricky situations that I don't think I would want a computer trying to figure it out.

There is nothing stopping you from releasing the knob and backing it up yourself if something gets crazy. It's also useful for when you need to do something and your wife has to back up the trailer. It's a big WIN.