Patent ID: 6094616
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: B60K,B60W,G01S,G08G

Abstract:
A method for automatically controlling spacing from a vehicle in front by a controlled vehicle which has a distance sensor, an evaluating unit, and a servo device for controlling the velocity of the controlled vehicle in response to signals from the evaluating unit, comprising the following steps:a) detecting objects located in the traffic space ahead of the controlled vehicle by the distance sensor in the controlled vehicle;b) identifying a vehicle in front which is located within a defined lane width of the controlled vehicle in the evaluating unit in the controlled vehicle;c) transmitting a signal from the evaluating unit to the servo device so that a preassigned following time t.sub.f of the controlled vehicle from the vehicle in front is maintained;d) determining from data received by the evaluating unit from the distance sensor, a transverse velocity with respect to the lane of the controlled vehicle for each other vehicle detected inside or outside of the defined lane width; ande) altering the defined lane width as a function of the transverse velocities detected.