Patent ID: 6878096

Claim:
A method for ensuring standstill of a trailing vehicle in combination with an adaptive road speed controller of the trailing vehicle with said adaptive road speed controller functioning to adjust a distance between the trailing vehicle and a leading vehicle traveling directly ahead of the trailing vehicle, the trailing vehicle including a drive train incorporating an automatic transmission which provides and interrupts a force flow in the drive train, the method comprising the steps of: measuring at least the distance of said trailing vehicle to said leading vehicle; activating an engine control or a braking control of said trailing vehicle in dependence upon said distance and a desired value so that said trailing vehicle can be braked to standstill; building up and/or maintaining a braking force in the manner of a parking brake function when said standstill of said trailing vehicle is detected; interrupting the force flow in the drive train of said trailing vehicle by controlling said automatic transmission into a neutral position or a park position; detecting a resume drive command of the driver when an operator-controlled element is actuated; disengaging said parking brake function and controlling said automatic transmission out of said neutral position or said park position when said resume drive command is detected; and, activating said adaptive road speed controller in response to an actuation of said operator-controlled element by the driver and automatically effecting a resumed drive of said trailing vehicle utilizing said adaptive road speed controller.