Apparatus and method for automatically controlling vehicular velocity and inter-vehicle distance

摘要

In automatically controlling the velocity of an automotive vehicle for the purpose of maintaining an inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle, release of follow-up run control (vehicular run control of the vehicular velocity to follow up the preceding vehicle) is smoothly carried out when a follow-up run release condition occurs, such as when the vehicle is running with braking control executed on a road surface having a low frictional coefficient, e.g. a wet or snowy road. For example, when the vehicle is running under follow-up run control and the release condition of the follow-up run control is established, a controller determines if the vehicle is under braking control execution. If the vehicle is under the braking control, the follow-up run control is continued. Upon the end of the braking control, a follow-up run release flag is set to "1" and the follow-up run control is released. The release of the follow-up run control may be carried out after a predetermined interval of time has passed from a time at which the braking control is ended or may be carried out after the braking pressure is gradually reduced during the braking control.