Method and device for assisting a lane change of a vehicle

Abstract

A method for operating an automatic speed control system of an automotive vehicle. Initially, in a normal follow mode, a setpoint distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle is set to a first value d1, and a setpoint vehicle acceleration is into a first value a1. Upon detection of an intention of the vehicle driver to overtake the preceding vehicle (such as switching on a turn indicator), the setpoint distance is reset to a second value d2 that is smaller than d1. The setpoint acceleration may be reset to a second value a2 greater than a1 simultaneously, or the second value a2 may be set upon detection of initiation of a lane change into an overtaking lane (such as turning a steering wheel). The method assists the driver during the execution of an overtaking process, and a safer, more comfortable and free-flowing sequence of the overtaking process is ensured.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.