An adaptive cruise control system and method for controlling a speed of a vehicle includes determine a distance between a controlled vehicle a target vehicle with a distance sensor. An input sensor senses an input from a driver of the controlled vehicle in relation to the desired distance between the controlled vehicle and the target vehicle. An adaptive cruise control module receives a data set of a plurality of data points regarding the operation of the controlled vehicle. An artificial neural network is configured to receive the data set in response to the input from the driver being sensed and calculate a change in the desired distance in response to a change in at least one of the data points. A requested distance between vehicles is then changed based on at least one of the input from the driver and the calculated change in the desired distance by the artificial neural network.