The invention relates to an adaptive cruise control (ACC) system for a host motor vehicle having regenerative braking means (122) and non-regenerative braking means. The system is operable to control a powertrain and the braking means of the host vehicle to maintain the vehicle at a target distance (d_target) behind the followed vehicle, the target distance being substantially equal to a second distance that is greater than a first distance (d_driver); and employ substantially only the regenerative braking means and not the non-regenerative braking means to slow the host vehicle when the host vehicle is greater than the first distance (d_driver) behind the followed vehicle and the ACC system determines that braking is required to maintain the vehicle at the target distance.

Embodiments are disclosed for an example vehicle-to-vehicle communication system. The example vehicle-to-vehicle communication system includes a user input interface configured to receive a user input, an inter-vehicle communication system capable of communicating with a navigation system of a second vehicle, a processor, and a storage device storing instructions executable by the processor to receive a first separation from the user of the first vehicle, the first separation being input via the user input interface. Responsive to receiving a first separation from the user of the first vehicle, instructions are further executable to determine a space cushion between the second and first vehicles, the space cushion being determined based on one more of the first separation and a second separation communicated from the second vehicle via the inter-vehicle communication system, and adjust a distance between the first and second vehicles based on the space cushion.