A method for autonomous tracking of a following vehicle (3, 4) on the track of a leading vehicle, - in which the leading vehicle is controlled by an operator, - wherein a lead message is sent from the leading vehicle by means of vehicle-to-X communication which signals the readiness for autonomous tracking of following vehicles (3, 4) and comprises at least one element of vehicle identification information and route information of the leading vehicle, - wherein the lead message is received by the following vehicle (3, 4) by means of vehicle-to-X communication and is rejected by the following vehicle or confirmed with a follow message which comprises at least one element of vehicle identification information of the following vehicle (3, 4), and - wherein, after receipt of the follow message, a first element of coordination information for coordination of the autonomous tracking is sent to the following vehicle (3, 4) by the leading vehicle by means of vehicle-to-X communication until an end of the autonomous tracking, characterized in that - a second element of coordination information is detected for coordination of the autonomous tracking by means of environment sensors of the following vehicle (3, 4) on the basis of movements of the leading vehicle, - wherein the first and the second elements of coordination information are compared by the following vehicle (3, 4), - wherein, in the case of a matching comparison result, the autonomous tracking is performed corresponding to the first and second elements of coordination information, and - wherein, in the case of a deviating comparison result, the autonomous tracking is ended. - in which the leading vehicle is controlled by an operator, - wherein a lead message is sent from the leading vehicle by means of vehicle-to-X communication which signals the readiness for autonomous tracking of following vehicles (3, 4) and comprises at least one element of vehicle identification information and route information of the leading vehicle, - wherein the lead message is received by the following vehicle (3, 4) by means of vehicle-to-X communication and is rejected by the following vehicle or confirmed with a follow message which comprises at least one element of vehicle identification information of the following vehicle (3, 4), and - wherein, after receipt of the follow message, a first element of coordination information for coordination of the autonomous tracking is sent to the following vehicle (3, 4) by the leading vehicle by means of vehicle-to-X communication until an end of the autonomous tracking, characterized in that - a second element of coordination information is detected for coordination of the autonomous tracking by means of environment sensors of the following vehicle (3, 4) on the basis of movements of the leading vehicle, - wherein the first and the second elements of coordination information are compared by the following vehicle (3, 4), - wherein, in the case of a matching comparison result, the autonomous tracking is performed corresponding to the first and second elements of coordination information, and - wherein, in the case of a deviating comparison result, the autonomous tracking is ended.