Adjustable threshold for forward collision warning system

Apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

• a driver assistance system monitoring approaching objects around the vehicle and configured to take a driver assistance action in response to a predicted impact with an approaching object according to a time-to-impact threshold;
• a load monitor detecting whether a trailer is being towed by the vehicle and determining a first offset in response to a result of the detection, wherein the first offset is substantially equal to zero if no trailer is detected;
• a braking monitor detecting a braking intensity and a resulting change related to vehicle speed, determining an expected change related to vehicle speed in response to the braking intensity, and selecting a second offset in response to a braking difference between the resulting speed change to the expected speed change, wherein the second offset is substantially equal to zero if the braking difference is below a braking threshold;
• a steering monitor detecting a steering angle of the vehicle and a resulting change related to vehicle yaw, determining an expected change in vehicle yaw in response to the steering angle, and selecting a third offset in response to a steering difference between the resulting yaw change to the expected yaw change, wherein the third offset is substantially equal to zero if the steering difference is below a steering threshold;
• an updater determining a magnitude of the time-to-impact threshold in response to the first, second, and third offsets.