Patent ID: 6795765
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: B60K,B60W

Abstract:
An adaptive cruise control system comprising a sensor determining a travel direction of a first vehicle and a travel direction of a second vehicle; an electronic control unit operable to receive said determinations from said sensor and monitor an increasing change between said first vehicle travel direction and said second vehicle travel direction; wherein said electronic control unit controls a speed of said first vehicle as a function of said monitoring; and wherein said electronic control unit determines whether said change in travel directions continues to increase or begins to decrease after a test interval; wherein said electronic control unit determines whether said second vehicle is traveling along a curve or is changing a lane, said curve travel decision occurring when a segment of said change in travel directions continues to increase after a test interval, said lane change decision occurring when said segment decreases after said test interval, wherein said electronic control unit adjusts a throttle to maintain a constant distance between said first and second vehicles when said curve travel decision occurs and said electronic control unit adjusts said throttle to maintain a preset speed when said lane change decision occurs.