- general motors is testing a new trailer-braking system, saying it can reduce stopping distance up to 20 percent or 40 feet, the same stopping distance as a truck by itself at the same gross vehicle weight rating without a trailer.
- to do this, gm equips both trailer and truck with its eboost braking system and adds software to allow them to communicate.
- the setup is still in testing stages; any future launch date is unknown.
one of the hassles of using a truck for towing is that the extra weight means a longer braking distance. that problem is what general motors is seeking to solve with a concept for new trailer-braking technology intended to make it less stressful to pull a trailer. it involves gm's existing eboost braking system incorporated into both the truck and the trailer, plus upgrades to the trailer's brake rotors, calipers, and tires.
so equipped, gm says, the truck is able to stop as if it weren't towing anything. as shown in the video demonstration and the graphic above, gm claims to have reduced 60-mph-to-zero stopping distance by 40 feet in comparison to a truck and trailer equipped with traditional electric brakes, a difference of 20 percent.
chevrolet silverado and gmc sierra trucks have what they need to make this technology production ready, but there aren't trailers that can pair with them yet, gm says. so for now, it's theoretical, but it's something we're likely to see in production eventually.