Watch Toyota Demonstrate its ‘Hitchless Towing’ Technology

The more technology continues to develop, the lines between science fiction and reality begin to fade. This has become apparent when Toyota began teasing its developing “hitchless towing” technology where any vehicle can have its own tow without any physical attachment.

“Hitchless towing is a very interesting new concept that is a pair of vehicles where the rear vehicle acts somewhat like an autonomous vehicle, but it basically allows the two vehicles to play follow the leader,” says Paul Fanson, Senior Manager of the TMNA R&D Advanced Product Planning Office. “So the lead vehicle would be driven by a human. The follow vehicle would naturally follow behind as a trailer would, but there would be no physical connection.”

This technology, still in its infancy, has the potential to be a new feature for customers that they never really knew they needed before until now. The “hitchless towing” feature could come in very useful in very congested urban areas, as well as saving one the trouble of renting a moving truck.

Of course, time will tell once Toyota puts this developing technology through many more real-world simulations before introducing it into the market.