Method for performing a towing process, and camera system for recognizing a towing process, as well as motor vehicle with a camera system
A method of performing a towing process by a towing vehicle ( 10 ) involves activating a towing mode (S 1 ) and adapting a vehicle speed of the towing vehicle to a towing speed (S 2 ). A camera system ( 100 ) for recognizing a towing process includes at least one camera ( 12 ) arranged on the rear of a vehicle, for detecting at least one sub-region located behind the vehicle, and an image processing device ( 16 ) configured to recognize a towing device ( 14 ) in detected image data, whereby a towing mode may be activated and/or terminated.
1. A method of performing a towing process by a towing vehicle, comprising the steps:
using a reversing camera of the towing vehicle, detecting a region located behind the towing vehicle and generating corresponding image data;
in the image data, recognizing a tow rope that is slack and/or moving;
in response to the recognizing of the tow rope that is slack and/or moving, activating a towing mode; and
after the activating of the towing mode, automatically adapting a vehicle speed of the towing vehicle to a specified towing speed.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising terminating the towing mode when at least one of the following situations is present:
recognizing in the image data that the tow rope is tight or taut, or
detecting a predefined tractive force on the tow rope.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein, after termination of the towing mode, the vehicle speed is increased and a driver of the towing vehicle is enabled to drive the towing vehicle at any desired value of the vehicle speed.
4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the terminating of the towing mode occurs in response to the recognizing that the tow rope is tight or taut.
5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the terminating of the towing mode occurs in response to the detecting of the predefined tractive force on the tow rope.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of recognizing comprises recognizing that the tow rope is slack.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of recognizing comprises recognizing that the tow rope is moving.
8. A system for performing a towing process by a towing vehicle, comprising:
a reversing camera that is arranged at a rear of the towing vehicle and is configured to detect a region located behind the towing vehicle and to generate corresponding image data;
an image processing device configured to recognize, in the image data, a tow rope that is slack and/or moving; and
a control unit configured to activate a towing mode in response to the recognizing of the tow rope that is slack and/or moving, and, after the activating of the towing mode, to automatically adapt a vehicle speed of the towing vehicle to a specified towing speed.
9. The system according to claim 8 , further comprising a force sensor configured to measure a tractive force on the tow rope.
10. A motor vehicle having a system according to claim 8 .
11. A method of recognizing a towing process by a towing vehicle, comprising the steps:
using a reversing camera of the towing vehicle, detecting a region located behind the towing vehicle and generating corresponding image data;
in the image data, recognizing a tow rope that is slack and/or moving;
in response to the recognizing of the tow rope that is slack and/or moving, recognizing that the towing vehicle is performing the towing process.