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2018 Ford F-150 lets you back up that trailer like a pro

Nervous about reversing a trailer? Let the tech do the work.

Emme Hall Former editor for CNET Cars
I love two-seater, RWD convertibles and own a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata for pavement fun and a lifted 2001 Miata for pre-running. I race air-cooled Volkswagens in desert races like the Mint 400 and the Baja 1000. I have won the Rebelle Rally, seven-day navigational challenge, twice and I am the only driver to compete in an EV, the Rivian R1T.
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Emme Hall

It's pretty easy to pull a trailer forward. Just keep a long following distance, swing the turns a bit wide and you're golden. Backing up a trailer, on the other hand, can be a lot harder. In order for the trailer to move to the left, you actually have to move the steering wheel to the right and vice versa. I can't tell you how many times I've been towing, looking into my mirrors thinking, "Trailer left, wheel left... no, right... no, left!"

There are, of course, tricks and tips to make it easier, but Ford looks to technology to solve the problem with its Pro Trailer Backup Assist. It's been available on F-150 pickup trucks since 2016, but I finally got a chance to try it out this week while parallel parking a new F-150 diesel hooked up to a 24-foot long trailer. Check out the video below to see if the technology can make me a better trailer backer-upper.