Patent ID: 8170788

Claim:
A method for piloting a vehicle, comprising: detecting objects in lanes adjacent to a lane occupied by the vehicle using a lane keeping system; adjusting, relative to at least one detected object, a lateral position of the vehicle within the occupied lane, wherein a different desired lane position is applied by the lane keeping system based on consideration of a lateral distance to another object in an adjacent lane by modifying parameters in the lane keeping support algorithm, in a first level of driver interaction relating to information, informing the driver, via the lane keeping system, of the presence of a vehicle in the lateral area of both sides of the ego vehicle; in a second level of driver interaction relating to caution, warning the driver, via the lane keeping system through a selected warning channel, when a vehicle is detected in the lateral area and the driver is using the turn signal indicator; and in a third level of driver interaction relating to warning/active intervention, providing a corrective steering action or, in case of warning only mode, warning the driver, via the lane keeping system, haptically through the steering wheel when there is a risk of lateral collision due to a lane change.