SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COLLISION WARNING BASED ON DYNAMIC DECELERATION CAPABILITY USING PREDICTED ROAD LOAD.

摘要

A system and method for collision warning utilize a sensor to determine an inter-vehicle distance and/or closing rate relative to a forward vehicle. A predicted vehicle road load is determined using a predetermined number or previous road load values which is then utilized to determine whether the vehicle has sufficient deceleration capability so as to avoid a collision without operator intervention. The vehicle road load accounts for various forces both internal and external to the vehicle which resist forward motion including those due to gravity and aerodynamic drag, and those provided by an engine retarder or downshifting of an automatic transmission. The present invention thus avoids spurious collision indications.