METHOD TO ENHANCE SAFE ACCELERATION AND LEAD-VEHICLE DISTANCE KEEPING PERFORMANCE, BY MEASURING FORWARD VEHICLE GAPS

摘要

An adaptive cruise control that adjusts the speed of the controlled vehicle based on one or more vehicles ahead of the controlled vehicle. The adaptive cruise control illustratively includes a forward vehicles sensor that monitors not only the lead vehicle directly ahead of the controlled vehicle, but also one or more forward vehicles. The data from the forward vehicles sensor can be used to adjust the controlled vehicle speed.

主权项

1. A vehicle speed control device in a vehicle, the device comprising:
an electronic control unit (“ECU”); a forward vehicles sensor, in electronic communication with the ECU, to generate a forward vehicles signal that indicates one or more of a distance to and speed of a lead vehicle, a distance between the lead vehicle and a forward vehicle traveling ahead of the lead vehicle, the lead vehicle and the forward vehicle traveling in substantially a same lane, and a speed of the forward vehicle; a speed sensor, in electronic communication with the ECU, to sense a controlled vehicle speed of the vehicle; a traffic congestion detection unit, in electronic communication with the ECU, to monitor when the controlled vehicle speed is below a predetermined vehicle speed; and control means, in electronic communication with the ECU for adjusting the controlled vehicle speed based on a predicted acceleration and/or deceleration of the lead vehicle determined based on the forward vehicles signal when the controlled vehicle speed is below the predetermined vehicle speed so that acceleration occurs without regard to the distance to the lead vehicle.