Patent ID: 8868327

Claim:
A method for detecting critical driving situations of motor vehicles for preventing collisions with an object located in front of an own vehicle having at least one sensor and a warning device, with the following steps: specifying an acceleration profile depending on driving variables of the own vehicle; assuming a time progression of a foreseeable acceleration of the own vehicle based on a current acceleration of the own vehicle; determining a path profile of the own vehicle from the time progression of the foreseeable acceleration; acquiring using the at least one sensor a current distance and a current relative velocity of an object located in front of the own vehicle; assuming a time progression of a foreseeable acceleration of the object in front based on a current acceleration of the object in front; determining a path profile of the object in front from the time progression of the foreseeable acceleration; comparing the path profile of the own vehicle with the path profile of the object in front; and when the two path profiles intersect, determining a probable collision time of the own vehicle with the object in front; comparing a time with the determined probable collision time of the own vehicle with the object in front; and, when the probable collision time is before this time, delivering a warning to the driver of the own vehicle with the warning device.