Inter-vehicle distance control device

An inter-vehicle distance control device, comprising:

• an inter-vehicle distance detecting section for detecting an inter-vehicle distance between an own vehicle and a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the own vehicle;
• a laterally adjacent vehicle detecting section for detecting an other vehicle present beside the own vehicle;
• a cut-in detecting section for judging whether or not a cut-in by the other vehicle detected by the laterally adjacent vehicle detecting section is likely to occur, before the other vehicle cuts in between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle;
• an inter-vehicle distance adjusting section for performing inter-vehicle distance extension adjustment to increase the inter-vehicle distance when the cut-in detecting section judges that a cut-in is likely to occur;
• an inter-vehicle distance control section for controlling the inter-vehicle distance based on information from the inter-vehicle distance adjusting section;
• and
• a successive cut-in detecting section for judging whether or not a successive cut-in is likely to occur after the cut-in by the other vehicle is completed, based on the presence of a new vehicle detected by the laterally adjacent vehicle detecting section;
• wherein the inter-vehicle distance adjusting section performs inter-vehicle distance shortening adjustment to reduce the inter-vehicle distance, when the successive cut-in detecting section judges that a successive cut-in is likely to occur.