METHOD AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A FIFTH WHEEL COUPLING SLIDING DEVICE HAVING A DISTANCE MEASUREMENT FOR DETECTING OBSTRUCTIONS

A method and to a system for controlling a sliding device for a fifth wheel coupling arranged on a towing vehicle, wherein the sliding device includes a substructure having at least one guide rail oriented in the driving direction, a movable slide, which supports the fifth wheel coupling and engages on the guide rail, and a control unit, to which a motorized drive unit for moving the slide and an actuator for fixing the slide relative to the guide rail are connected. The aim was to provide a method and a control system with which a sufficiently large gap width (W) can be set between the towing vehicle and the trailer in a timely manner. This is achieved, among other things, by a method in which a distance measurement is performed to detect an obstruction in front of the towing vehicle, the signal of the measurement is processed into a control signal in the control unit, and a start-up of the motorized drive unit and/or the actuator is initiated therewith.