Electronically controlled cruise control system for motor vehicles

An electronically controlled cruise control system for a motor vehicle, in which during a second closed-loop control operation, a vehicle speed is open-loop or close-loop controlled while maintaining a desired distance to a vehicle in front, wherein a maximum permitted acceleration of the motor vehicle is permitted to achieve and/or maintain the desired distance to the vehicle in front, wherein the maximum permitted acceleration is determined based on an occupancy signal of an occupancy detection of a trailer hitch attached to the motor vehicle;

• wherein the occupancy detection is configured to generate the occupancy signal by evaluating an occupancy of a plug connection associated with the trailer hitch and evaluating at least one other parameter;
• and
• wherein the electronically controlled cruise control system determines whether a contradiction exists between the occupancy signal and the at least one other parameter and, based on existence of the contradiction, outputs an optical and/or acoustic notification to a driver of the motor vehicle.

A method for controlling an electronically controlled cruise control system for a motor vehicle, wherein during a first closed-loop control operation, a speed is fundamentally open-loop or closed-loop controlled to a specified speed and only a maximum permitted acceleration of the motor vehicle is permitted to achieve and/or maintain the specified speed, wherein the maximum permitted acceleration is determined based on an occupancy signal of an occupancy detection of a trailer hitch attached to the motor vehicle;

• wherein upon receipt of an existing occupancy signal of the occupancy detection, a lower maximum acceleration is permitted than upon receipt of a non-existing occupancy signal of the occupancy detection;
• and
• wherein the electronically controlled cruise control system determines whether a contradiction exists between the occupancy signal and the at least one other parameter and, based on existence of the contradiction, outputs an optical and/or acoustic notification to a driver of the motor vehicle.

A method for controlling an electronically controlled cruise control system for a motor vehicle, wherein during a second closed-loop control operation, a speed is open-loop or closed-loop controlled while maintaining a desired distance to a vehicle in front and only a maximum permitted acceleration of the motor vehicle is permitted to achieve and/or maintain a desired distance to the vehicle in front, wherein the maximum permitted acceleration is determined based on an occupancy signal of an occupancy detection of a trailer hitch attached to the motor vehicle;

• wherein upon receipt of an existing occupancy signal of the occupancy detection, a lower maximum acceleration is permitted than upon receipt of a non-existing occupancy signal of the occupancy detection;
• and
• wherein the electronically controlled cruise control system determines whether a contradiction exists between the occupancy signal and the at least one other parameter and, based on existence of the contradiction, outputs an optical and/or acoustic notification to a driver of the motor vehicle.