Patent ID: 8346456

Claim:
A method for controlling the driving speed of a vehicle having a speed control device, said method comprising: determining a set speed, using a control unit, corresponding to a desired speed entered by a driver via an input device; varying a reference variable of the speed control device, using the control unit, within a specified or specifiable range of the set speed, based on an evaluation of a section of the road ahead of the driver using a roadway profile, and based on maintaining a state of the vehicle with a fuel usage that is as low as possible, in a first operating mode of the speed control device; detecting a change of the set speed, using the control unit, due to a driver input at a predetermine time; changing over from the first operating mode to a second operating mode of the speed control device, using the control unit, when a change of the set speed has been detected; wherein said first operation mode is designed to minimized fuel usage and said second operating mode is designed to provide the driver with feedback corresponding to said change in the set speed; in the second operating mode adjusting the reference variable based on the change, in such a manner that the speed control device is tuned, due to the driver input at a predetermined time, to a higher driving speed in the case of an increase of the set speed resulting from the change, and to a lower driving speed in the case of a decrease of the set speed resulting from the change so the driver obtains adequate feedback that the speed was successfully set; and changing back from the second operating mode to the first operating mode when an interruption criterion is satisfied, wherein said interruption criterion is related to the change of the set speed or a control deviation with a threshold.