Patent ID: 8352146

Claim:
A method for controlling an engine of a vehicle in response to an operator pedal depression, comprising: during a first non-cruise control condition and at a first distance to a forward vehicle, adjusting an engine output in response to said pedal depression with a first relationship between the pedal depression and the engine output, with increasing pedal depression increasing the engine output from closed pedal to wide-open pedal; and during a second non-cruise control condition and at a second, greater, distance to a forward vehicle, adjusting the engine output in response to said pedal depression with a second relationship between the pedal depression and the engine output different from said first relationship, and with increasing pedal depression increasing the engine output from closed pedal to wide-open pedal, the first relationship and the second relationship each having the same maximum engine output for wide-open pedal, the first relationship having a lower gain near closed pedal, but having a higher gain near wide-open pedal, than the second relationship, the gain being a change in engine output for a change in pedal depression.