Nov 27, 2018
We have just learned that a technology company called Semcon in Sweden has developed an automatic system to connect a car and a trailer.
Last spring, Semcon asked people for examples of products that were lacking women’s perspectives – and received more than 500 suggestions. A number of them mentioned how complicated it is to connect their car to a trailer, making them feel insecure when towing trailers, heavy horse boxes, caravans and boat trailers. A survey carried out by Inizio/Semcon shows that 50 per cent of people prefer not to use a trailer at all. And of them, 70 per cent are women.
An all-women team of product developers, took on the challenge. The objective was to create a concept for a smart, user-friendly solution that’s also futureproof for autonomous cars. The new towing concept, known as Automatic Trailer Connection (ATC), connects itself to the trailer. While you stay in your car.
“The wonderful thing is that this concept is based on the smart systems that cars are already equipped with nowadays. Given the vast amount of money that’s been spent on product development in the automotive industry over the past 80 years, it’s strange that nobody has done anything about trailer tow-bars when so many people find it to be a complicated solution. New perspectives can sometimes be needed,” says Sofie Askenbom, project manager for the Add Perspectives team.
How the ATC concept works:
When the car and trailer are about two metres apart, the car’s camera sensor can identify the trailer and connection begins. The driver presses “Auto Attach” on the in-car display and the car reverses autonomously towards the trailer. The car and trailer are both connected to the cloud, which allows them to communicate and position themselves correctly. Instead of a tow-bar, there’s a socket in the car’s bumper that secures and powers the trailer. No more cables are needed. It’s just like plugging in an ordinary device, and the connection is made autonomously by the car itself.
Will we see this on North American vehicles? Ford already has a similar system available on their trucks. Perhaps improving the trailer towing experience would bring more people into boating.
Find out more at semcon.com/addperspectives
Marine Industry Career Path: Brett Ramsey
Wendy and Brett Ramsey
Boating Industry Canada is kicking off its Marine Industry Career Path series once again. For the first installments this year, we have two subjects to highlight. Introducing Wendy and Brett Ramsey!
The Ramsey’s have been working in the marine industry for many years but have both had unique paths in getting to where they are now. They’ve also been working on an impactful pilot project for a long time, which will now be launching this spring. The focus of this initiative is to bring more young people into the marine industry.
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Building on its award-winning M Series, Bayliner unveiled the all-new M19 at the Miami International Boat Show. The M19 joins the M Series lineup of the M15 and M17 delivering the stability and versatility the series is known for with a focus on expanding boater participation through its intuitive design, ease of maintenance and inclusive price point.
With an overall length of 19 feet and starting at $30,995 USD, the M19 is built on an improved M-hull foundation offering increased stability and automotive style handling for familiarity to appeal to the next generation of boaters. The M19 features an upgraded nine-person capacity and is watersports capable for a full day of adventure on the water.
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Televisions on a boat are increasingly commonplace. With the simple-to-install Glomex Avior VT300 Omnidirectional TV/FM antenna from GA Communications, it's never been easier to bring analog and digital broadcasts onboard—at a price that's hard to ignore.
The most noticeable feature of the Avior VT300 antenna is its compact white, anti-yellowing radome. At only 4" dia. x 8" H and 8.8 oz., it's specifically made for smaller boats that can't accommodate large TV antenna domes and only need short range reception, depending on height and conditions. The amplifier allows the antenna to have an increase in gain with a 24.5 dB average to receive vertical and horizontal polarized TV signals simultaneously from 360°.
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Airmar hires Suzanne Hawley as Brand Manager
The Leader in Ultrasonic Technology and Multi-sensor Solutions Continues to Grow in Talent and Innovation. AIRMAR® Technology Corporation, a world leader in ultrasonic transducers and Chirp technology, has named Suzanne Hawley as the Brand Manager for the company’s wholly owned distributor, Gemeco Marine Electronics Specialists, located in Lake City, SC.
Hawley comes to Airmar with extensive marketing and PR experience in the marine electronics industry including 20 years as the owner of Hawley Communications, a consulting agency focused on creative marketing solutions for businesses in the recreational boating industry.
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