Preceding vehicle following cruise control system

A preceding vehicle following cruise control system comprising:

• vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed of a host vehicle;
• preceding vehicle detecting means for detecting a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle;
• and
• following cruise control means for selectively executing based on a driving condition one of a high speed following cruise control mode in a high speed region and a low speed following cruise control mode in a low speed region, and for automatically shifting from the low speed following cruise control mode to the high speed following cruise control mode when an automatic mode shifting condition indicating the high speed following cruise control mode was previously executed is satisfied and when the vehicle speed changes from the low speed region to the high speed region.

A preceding vehicle following cruise control method comprising:

• detecting a vehicle speed of a host vehicle;
• detecting a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle;
• selectively executing based on a driving condition one of a high speed following cruise control mode in a high speed region and a low speed following cruise control mode in a low speed region;
• and
• automatically shifting from the low speed following cruise control mode to the high speed following cruise control mode when an automatic mode shifting condition indicating the high speed following cruise control mode was previously executed is satisfied and when the vehicle speed changes from the low speed region to the high speed region.