Method and device for influencing the longitudinal velocity of a motor vehicle

A device for influencing a longitudinal velocity of a motor vehicle, in which at least one of a setpoint minimum distance and a setpoint maximum velocity is presettable via a driver-operable control device, a driver being able to influence a vehicle velocity via at least one of an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal, the device comprising:

• a distance-measuring sensor for measuring a distance from a vehicle traveling ahead;
• and
• an arrangement for, if at least one of the setpoint minimum distance is undershot and the setpoint maximum velocity is exceeded by the vehicle velocity, limiting the vehicle velocity so that at least one of the setpoint minimum distance is not undershot and the setpoint maximum velocity is not exceeded;
• wherein the limiting of the vehicle velocity increases gradually when at least one of an instantaneous distance between the vehicle and a detected object approaches the setpoint minimum distance and the vehicle velocity approaches the setpoint maximum velocity.