Method for controlling a vehicle and distance regulation control device

A distance control device in a subject vehicle for carrying out a method for controlling a subject vehicle with a braking system, a drive system and a distance control system, wherein the distance control system is configured to control an actual following distance between the subject vehicle and a vehicle ahead to a predetermined target following distance, wherein the target following distance is predetermined as a function of an activated operating mode of the distance control system, the method comprising:

• performing a plausibility check by checking whether V2X data is exchanged or can be exchanged between the vehicle ahead and the subject vehicle over a V2X connection,
• activating, based on a determination that no V2X data is exchanged or can be exchanged between the vehicle ahead and the subject vehicle over the V2X connection, a first operating mode in which a first target following distance is predetermined as a function of a reaction time of a driver of the subject vehicle,
• activating, based on a determination that V2X data is exchanged or can be exchanged between the vehicle ahead and the subject vehicle over the V2X connection, a second operating mode in which a second target following distance is predetermined independently of the reaction time of the driver of the subject vehicle, wherein:
• the first target following distance is compared with the second target following distance and/or the reaction time of the driver of the subject vehicle is compared with a latency time indicating the time for transmitting the V2X data between the subject vehicle and the vehicle ahead via the V2X connection,
• the second operating mode is activated based on a determination that the second target following distance is set equal to the first target following distance or wherein the first operating mode is activated automatically based on a determination that the second target following distance is longer than the first target following distance and/or the latency time is longer than the reaction time of the driver of the vehicle, and
• the distance control device is configured to control the actual following distance between the subject vehicle and the vehicle ahead to the target following distance, wherein the target following distance can be predetermined as a function of an operating mode of the distance control system which can be activated by the distance control device, wherein
• in the first operating mode, which can be activated by the distance control device, the first target following distance can be predetermined as a function of the reaction time of the driver of the subject vehicle,
• in a second operating mode which can be activated by the distance control device, a second target following distance can be predetermined independently of the reaction time of the driver of the subject vehicle,
• the second operating mode is activated by the distance control device based on the plausibility check as to whether V2X data is exchanged or can be exchanged between the vehicle ahead and the subject vehicle via the V2X connection.