Rear monitoring for automotive cruise control systems

An adaptive cruise control system for a host vehicle, the system comprising:

• a rearward facing sensor;
• a speed control;
• and
• a controller including an electronic processor, the controller communicatively coupled to the rearward facing sensor and the speed control, the controller configured to
• receive at least one parameter indicative of at least one from the group consisting of a road condition and a traffic condition;
• activate a coasting mode based on the at least one parameter;
• receive a signal from the rearward facing sensor indicative of a presence of a target vehicle positioned behind the host vehicle;
• restrict the coasting mode when the signal from the rearward facing sensor detects the target vehicle positioned behind the host vehicle, wherein restricting the coasting mode includes disabling the coasting mode;
• and
• perform coasting via the speed control when the signal from the rearward facing sensor does not detect the target vehicle positioned behind the host vehicle and when the coasting mode is active.