Method for controlling the speed and distance of a motor vehicle

A method for controlling a speed of a first motor vehicle and a distance of the first motor vehicle to a least one second motor vehicle driving ahead, comprising the steps of:

• determining at least the speed of the first motor vehicle and the distance to the second motor vehicle driving ahead in accordance with a detector having a distance sensor;
• determining an intervention distance less than a range of the distance sensor;
• and
• adjusting the speed of the first motor vehicle in response to the distance deviating from a setpoint trailing distance;
• wherein the speed is adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is less than the intervention distance and wherein the speed is not adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is greater than or equal to the intervention distance;
• and
• wherein a maximum intervention distance is less than 90% of the range of the distance sensor.

A method for controlling a speed of a first motor vehicle and a distance of the first motor vehicle to a least one second motor vehicle driving ahead, comprising the steps of:

• determining at least the speed of the first motor vehicle and the distance to the second motor vehicle driving ahead in accordance with a detector having a distance sensor;
• determining an intervention distance less than a range of the distance sensor;
• and
• adjusting the speed of the first motor vehicle in response to the distance deviating from a setpoint trailing distance;
• wherein the speed is adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is less than the intervention distance and wherein the speed is not adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is greater than or equal to the intervention distance;
• and
• wherein a maximum intervention distance is less than 80% of the range of the distance sensor.

A method for controlling a speed of a first motor vehicle and a distance of the first motor vehicle to a least one second motor vehicle driving ahead, comprising the steps of:

• determining at least the speed of the first motor vehicle and the distance to the second motor vehicle driving ahead in accordance with a detector having a distance sensor;
• determining an intervention distance less than a range of the distance sensor;
• and
• adjusting the speed of the first motor vehicle in response to the distance deviating from a setpoint trailing distance;
• wherein the speed is adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is less than the intervention distance and wherein the speed is not adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is greater than or equal to the intervention distance;
• and
• wherein a maximum intervention distance is less than 70% of the range of the distance sensor.

A method for controlling a speed of a first motor vehicle and a distance of the first motor vehicle to a least one second motor vehicle driving ahead, comprising the steps of:

• determining at least the speed of the first motor vehicle and the distance to the second motor vehicle driving ahead in accordance with a detector having a distance sensor;
• determining an intervention distance less than a range of the distance sensor;
• adjusting the speed of the first motor vehicle in response to the distance deviating from a setpoint trailing distance;
• and
• determining the relative speed of the first motor vehicle and the second motor vehicle driving ahead;
• wherein the speed is adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is less than the intervention distance and wherein the speed is not adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is greater than or equal to the intervention distance;
• and
• wherein the intervention distance is determined in the intervention distance determining step as a function of the relative speed.

A method for controlling a speed of a first motor vehicle and a distance of the first motor vehicle to a least one second motor vehicle driving ahead, comprising the steps of:

• determining at least the speed of the first motor vehicle and the distance to the second motor vehicle driving ahead in accordance with a detector having a distance sensor;
• determining an intervention distance less than a range of the distance sensor;
• adjusting the speed of the first motor vehicle in response to the distance deviating from a setpoint trailing distance;
• and
• determining values of a minimum intervention distance and a maximum intervention distance as a function of the speed;
• wherein the speed is adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is less than the intervention distance and wherein the speed is not adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is greater than or equal to the intervention distance.

A method for controlling a speed of a first motor vehicle and a distance of the first motor vehicle to a least one second motor vehicle driving ahead, comprising the steps of:

• determining at least the speed of the first motor vehicle and the distance to the second motor vehicle driving ahead in accordance with a detector having a distance sensor;
• determining an intervention distance less than a range of the distance sensor;
• and
• adjusting the speed of the first motor vehicle in response to the distance deviating from a setpoint trailing distance;
• and
• determining values of a minimum intervention distance and a maximum intervention distance as a function of a type of road;
• wherein the speed is adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is less than the intervention distance and wherein the speed is not adjusted in the adjusting step in accordance with a distance that is greater than or equal to the intervention distance.

A device for controlling a speed of a first motor vehicle and a distance of the first motor vehicle to a least one second motor vehicle driving ahead, comprising:

• means for determining at least the speed of the first motor vehicle and the distance to the second motor vehicle driving ahead in accordance with detector means having distance sensing means;
• means for determining an intervention distance having a maximum value that is a predetermined amount less than a range of the distance sensing means;
• and
• means for adjusting the speed of the first motor vehicle in response to the distance deviating from a setpoint trailing distance;
• wherein the speed is adjusted by the adjusting means in accordance with a distance that is less than the intervention distance and wherein the speed is not adjusted by the adjusting means in accordance with a distance in a range that is greater than or equal to the intervention distance and less than the range of the distance sensing means.

A device for controlling a speed of a first motor vehicle and a distance of the first motor vehicle to a least one second motor vehicle driving ahead, comprising:

• an arrangement configured to determine at least the speed of the first motor vehicle and the distance to the second motor vehicle driving ahead in accordance with detector having a distance sensor;
• an arrangement configured to determine an intervention distance having a maximum value that is a predetermined amount less than a range of the distance sensor;
• and
• an arrangement configured to adjust the speed of the first motor vehicle in response to the distance deviating from a setpoint trailing distance;
• wherein the arrangement configured to adjust the speed of the first motor vehicle is configured to adjust the speed in accordance with a distance that is less than the intervention distance and to not adjust the speed in accordance with a distance in a range that is greater than or equal to the intervention distance and less than the range of the distance sensor.