Patent ID: 6161073
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: B60K,B60W,G08G

Abstract:
A method applicable to an automotive vehicle, comprising:detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle to another vehicle which is running at a detected inter-vehicle distance with respect to the vehicle;detecting a vehicular velocity of the vehicle;setting a target vehicular velocity variation rate so that the detected inter-vehicle distance coincides with a target inter-vehicle distance;effecting a vehicular velocity control such that the vehicle follows up the another vehicle maintaining the inter-vehicle distance to the another vehicle at the target inter-vehicle distance;effecting the vehicular velocity control such that a vehicular velocity variation rate is maintained at the set target vehicular velocity variation rate;releasing the vehicular running control effected by a vehicular running controller; andmoderating a rate of variation with time in the vehicular velocity variation rate set when releasing the vehicular velocity control, when the detected vehicular velocity becomes lower than a set vehicular velocity above which the vehicular velocity control is effected.