An interesting General Motors patent filing was uncovered this week. The illustrations shared by the folks at Motor Trend indicate a device so ingenious that it’ll send your mind racing with possibilities! The biggest of Detroit’s “Big Three” automakers is working on an electric powered towing assistance dolly. With “ePTAD” (you don’t pronounce lower-case letters in this case, and as in everyone’s favorite prehistoric flying reptile, “pterodactyl,” the P is silent), almost any vehicle could be used to haul a trailer, be it a camper, car hauler, or work trailer.
TAD can accommodate a traditional hitch or gooseneck/fifth-wheel, and from between the trailer and the lead vehicle, this smart unit would provide four powered wheels, load bearing, and additional stability, amongst other things. If you love camping but hate leaving your Corvette behind for the weekend, or if you have a one-car trailer but want to take a pair of ‘Vettes to a track weekend, TAD could be your ticket to zero-compromise vacationing!
On top of transforming nearly any car into a Duramax, the TADolly will also be able to hook itself up to trailers and tow vehicles by itself, and, with a special control handle attached, a person on foot could even steer their trailer around on foot, making backing into tight storage spaces easier than it has any right to be! This electric Swiss army knife can also act as a generator that can bring aux power to an off-grid trailer and/or multiple outside accessories through numerous USB and traditional outlets. Finally, the General is hoping that prospective owners will pair a TAD with one of its electric/hybrid vehicles. This would allow for on-the-go charging from the lead car to the dolly.
It is easy to think that our best and brightest are being misused in the days of social media, but inventions like TAD act as a reminder that American ingenuity is alive and well!
Source:
MotorTrend
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When you see Rube Goldberg things like this, you can be sure the car manufacturers know the wimpy cars and trucks they will offer in the future will not be able to haul anything more than passengers.
Forget it! Corvettes weren’t designed to be tow vehicles and there’s no way I would risk it using this contraption.
Perfect for those Tesla owners wanting to take a trip. Generator will keep their coal fired golf carts running when their battery dies.
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