Dynamic follow gap adjustment in variant traffic conditions

A system comprising:

• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
• gathering sensor data from a sensor system of a host vehicle;
• evaluating the sensor data;
• determining surrounding road conditions and behavior of a lead vehicle;
• receiving a first follow gap selected by a driver;
• calculating a second follow gap based on the surrounding road conditions and the behavior of the lead vehicle;
• adjusting an acceleration profile of the host vehicle using the second follow gap while maintaining at least the first follow gap between the host vehicle and the lead vehicle;
• monitoring behavior of road actors in one or more adjacent lanes;
• and
• adjusting the second follow gap based on the behavior of the road actors in the one or more adjacent lanes.

A computer-implemented method that, when executed by data processing hardware, causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:

• determining a traffic condition status;
• disabling a buffer management system if the traffic condition status indicates consistent traffic surrounding a host vehicle;
• activating the buffer management system if the traffic condition status indicates variable traffic surrounding the host vehicle;
• determining whether road actor cut-ins are present between the host vehicle and a lead vehicle;
• and
• either generating (i) a first buffer if the road actor cut-ins are present or (ii) a second buffer if the road actor cut-ins are not present.