trailer backup assist

[CustomRCmodels]

actually I should be working on getting my stuff ready for this years Indy show , but earlier this year I did get myself wrapped up in a project I finally need to bring to an end .

you guys probably have heard and read , or seen the videos , about all these various trailer-backup-assist systems which various manufactures offering for there high end SUV's and trucks.

most of us driving our semis and having also real-life experience with backing up trailers ( no matter semi trailers or small stuff )
most likely laugh about such a system ,
but , there are people out there , well , just can't drive , lol .
That's the group of people are targeted with such system .

it so happened that I was contacted by one of these manufactures to build them a truck and trailer ( pickup and trailer ) for shows to demonstrate such system.

as usually with me , life did get in the way and just this past weekend I finally started working on that .

its an interesting challenge , trying to duplicate such a system with fairly simple options for an R/C model.
duplicating is actually the wrong term for this ,
it's more like an illusion project ,
having one truck and trailer setup with such gizmos and another conventional truck and trailer for comparison during shows .

Since the plan is also to make it as close to real as possible ,
the R/C system will be insides a steering-wheel-setup from a video-game console .
Therefore I didn't want to use any fancy R/C system ,
the older stuff is easier to rip apart and to modify .

the first obvious thing comes to mind here is :
using servo-reversing while in backup mode ,
you want the trailer to go right , you turn the wheel to the right ,
( the truck actually steers left ) ,
but then comes the moment for the counter-steering .
for that I am picking up the angle from the trailer to the truck ,
and while driving in reverse ,
the truck will get back in a straight line to the trailer .

well , I would like for you guys to take a look at my first setup
and let me know what you think about that .
here is the video
http://youtu.be/ksGVRNkb9es