Method and device for determining a driving state of an external motor vehicle

A method that determines, in a first vehicle (100), whether an external motor vehicle (101, 102, 103) uses automated lateral control assistance, the method comprising:

• detecting, using at least one sensor (104) of the first vehicle, the external motor vehicle (101, 102, 103) moving in a longitudinal direction (105);
• detecting, by the at least one sensor, reference road markings (106, 108) by reference to which a movement of the external motor vehicle (101, 102, 103) transversely to the longitudinal direction (105) can be determined;
• determining a first distance (109, 110) between the external motor vehicle (101, 102, 103) and at least one of the reference road markings (106, 107, 108) at a first point in time;
• determining a second distance (114, 115) between the external motor vehicle (101, 102, 103) and the at least one of the reference road markings (106, 107, 108) at a second point in time, which is after the first point in time;
• in a case in which the difference between the first distance (109, 110) and the second distance (114, 115) is less than or equal to a predetermined value, then:
• informing a control system of the first vehicle (101) that the external motor vehicle (101, 102, 103) uses automated lateral control assistance, and controlling an automated lateral control system of the first vehicle to adjust parameters of the automated lateral control system of the first vehicle based on the informing;
• and
• controlling, by the automatic lateral control system of the first vehicle, the first vehicle so as to automatically increase the distance between the first vehicle and the external motor vehicle, based on the adjusted parameters, when the control system of the first vehicle has been informed that the external motor vehicle is using automated lateral control assistance.