Patent ID: 6330508
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: B60K,B60W,F16H

Abstract:
A preceding vehicle following control apparatus for a controlled vehicle, comprising:a following controllercollecting input information on vehicle operating conditions of the controlled vehicle, inclusive of a sensed actual vehicle speed of the controlled vehicle and a sensed actual vehicle spacing from the controlled vehicle to a preceding vehicle,controlling a longitudinal force of the controlled vehicle in accordance with the actual vehicle speed and the actual vehicle spacing in a following mode,setting a control mode initially to a wait mode,changing the control mode from the wait mode to one of the following mode and an auto-stop mode to hold the controlled vehicle in a stop state by producing a braking force,allowing the control mode to change among the auto-stop mode, the following mode and a release mode to stop a driving force control and prevent abrupt decrease of a braking force of the controlled vehicle, andreturning the control mode to the wait mode from the release mode.