Cruise control systems for motor vehicles

A cruise control system for a motor vehicle comprising:

• a) a forward looking distance sensor means, the distance sensor means being arranged to sense vehicles moving in the same path as the equipped vehicle and also in paths adjacent to the path of the equipped vehicle;
• b) means to process signals from the sensor means to provide information of range, relative speed and direction of movement of vehicles traveling substantially in the same direction as and in front of the equipped vehicle, in the same path and in paths adjacent to the equipped vehicle;
• c) means for processing the successive range, relative speed and directional information of vehicles traveling substantially in the same direction as and in front of the equipped vehicle, in the same path as and in paths adjacent to the equipped vehicle, to track said vehicles;
• d) means to initially select said tracked vehicle that is closest to and in the same path as the equipped vehicle as a preferred target, while said means for processing continues to track all said tracked vehicles;
• e) means for identifying said tracked vehicle in an adjacent path that is converging with the path of the equipped vehicle;
• f) means for determining, according to the successive range, relative speed and directional information of the preferred target and the converging vehicle, whether the converging vehicle is the most appropriate target, and if the converging vehicle is the most appropriate target, switching to the converging vehicle as the preferred target;
• and
• g) means to control speed of the equipped vehicle in response to the preferred target, in order to maintain a safe distance between the equipped vehicle and preferred target.