Method for automatically controlling at least one following vehicle, in which a scout trajectory is produced for a scout vehicle, the scout vehicle is guided along an actual trajectory, the actual trajectory of the scout vehicle and scout environmental data being captured by means of scout sensors, a desired trajectory is produced for the following vehicle and following vehicle environmental data are captured by means of following vehicle sensors, a scout trajectory similarity is determined on the basis of the scout trajectory produced and the captured actual trajectory, wherein the scout trajectory produced must be sufficiently similar to the actual trajectory in order to be assessed as automatically drivable, reference trajectory data are produced and reference environmental data are produced on the basis of the scout environmental data, the reference trajectory data and the reference environmental data are transmitted to the following vehicle, a trajectory similarity is determined by means of a trajectory comparison on the basis of the desired trajectory produced and the transmitted reference trajectory data, wherein it is quantified whether and how greatly the desired trajectory and the scout trajectory differ, an environmental data similarity is determined by means of an environmental data comparison on the basis of the captured following vehicle environmental data and the transmitted reference environmental data, in which case, if the trajectory similarity and/or the environment similarity exceed(s) a particular threshold value, automatic control of the following vehicle is activated, and, if the trajectory similarity and/or the environment similarity do(es) not exceed a particular threshold value, a safe driving mode of the following vehicle is activated. a scout trajectory is produced for a scout vehicle, the scout vehicle is guided along an actual trajectory, the actual trajectory of the scout vehicle and scout environmental data being captured by means of scout sensors, a desired trajectory is produced for the following vehicle and following vehicle environmental data are captured by means of following vehicle sensors, a scout trajectory similarity is determined on the basis of the scout trajectory produced and the captured actual trajectory, wherein the scout trajectory produced must be sufficiently similar to the actual trajectory in order to be assessed as automatically drivable, reference trajectory data are produced and reference environmental data are produced on the basis of the scout environmental data, the reference trajectory data and the reference environmental data are transmitted to the following vehicle, a trajectory similarity is determined by means of a trajectory comparison on the basis of the desired trajectory produced and the transmitted reference trajectory data, wherein it is quantified whether and how greatly the desired trajectory and the scout trajectory differ, an environmental data similarity is determined by means of an environmental data comparison on the basis of the captured following vehicle environmental data and the transmitted reference environmental data, in which case, if the trajectory similarity and/or the environment similarity exceed(s) a particular threshold value, automatic control of the following vehicle is activated, and, if the trajectory similarity and/or the environment similarity do(es) not exceed a particular threshold value, a safe driving mode of the following vehicle is activated.