Towing a trailer can be a tricky and anxiety-inducing operation for even the most seasoned truck owners. The most common and obvious risk factor for safely performing a towing maneuver is the lack of visibility to both sides and rear of the trailer. GMC offers Transparent Trailer technology on its Sierra Heavy Duty and Sierra 1500 pickup trucks to mitigate this hazard and optimize the driver's view around the truck and trailer.
Transparent Trailer is a view depicted on the infotainment system display (where you'd see the reversing camera view) that allows the driver to virtually "see through" the connected trailer. A thin outline of the trailer appears for reference, but the screen features a ghost image that effectively eliminates all blind spots and gives the driver a complete and unobstructed view of all sides of the trailer. With this feature, the trailer essentially becomes invisible or transparent.
When driving down the road with a trailer, other vehicles behind and to the side of the trailer are generally obstructed from the driver's view. With Transparent Trailer View, that condition no longer exists.
Despite its name, the camera system does not see through the trailer in a literal sense. Instead, it combines multiple camera views, which allows the driver to see from many angles around the trailer at one time. This allows the driver to view a single holistic image of the " see-through" trailer.
Transparent Trailer View technology relies on a primary tailgate-mounted camera and a secondary accessory camera mounted on the rear of the trailer. It also uses the left- and right-side mirror cameras to inform other advanced driving assistance systems such as blind-spot warning and lane-departure warning. The system's software processes the images from all four cameras to make the trailer in tow appear transparent on the screen.
At a glance, the driver can see if there are any other vehicles or objects anywhere around the trailer. This allows a driver to make lane changes and other maneuvers more easily and confidently.
Transparent Trailer View requires an adequately equipped GMC truck with the following elements:
The first step is to follow instructions to mount both cameras—one at the hitch and the other at the back of the trailer. Next, via prompts on the infotainment screen, the system will ask for the seven required dimensions and will provide diagrams to help the owner find the right points to measure, including:
Once the driver measures and enters all dimensions, the last step is a system calibration process. Calibration happens automatically but requires the vehicle to be driven forward in a slow, straight path until finished. This process may take several minutes. When finished, Transparent Trailer View is active.
Tips for successful calibration:
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you're using Transparent Trailer View:
It's normal for the Transparent Trailer View to appear slightly distorted. However, if the view looks overly distorted, the driver may need to reenter the trailer's dimensions. In this case, remeasuring the dimensions and recalibrating the view may be necessary.
GMC's Transparent Trailer View provides a unique "see-through" image that has been pieced together from various camera views. It gives drivers a clear picture of the road behind them, making trailering a more effortless and safer experience.
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