Driver Assistance in Low Speed Range

Abstract

A method provides driver assistance in a motor vehicle in particularly dense and confusing traffic conditions in the low-speed range. It is possible to adjust the distance in dense traffic so that it is not too great whilst at the same time ensuring that the driver does not always have to vary the position of the accelerator pedal. The accelerator is controlled in accordance with the distance and thus the speed or accelerator is automatically throttled as the distance decreases.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A method for providing driver assistance in a motor vehicle operating in dense and complex traffic conditions in a low speed range, comprising: receiving a manual override of an already activated driver assistance system, wherein the activated driver assistance system is adapted for setting a distance to a motor vehicle in front, by exertion of pressure on an accelerator pedal; controlling fuel intake proportionally to a decreasing distance to the motor vehicle in front; and stopping the fuel intake when a predefined minimum distance is reached.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method is activated automatically when the speed of the motor vehicle falls below a predefined speed.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method is activated manually or automatically when the speed of the motor vehicle falls below 30 km/h.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein proportional control of the fuel intake is carried out in accordance with an empirically determined profile.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the stopping of the fuel intake comprises braking.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the predefined minimum distance is one meter.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein a tolerance range of 10 cm is provided for the predefined minimum distance.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein a front camera with image transfer to a driver is activated in a preliminary method step.

19. A system arrangement for providing driver assistance in a motor vehicle operating in dense and complex traffic conditions in a low speed range, comprising: an activation unit adapted to receive a manual override of an already activated driver assistance system, wherein the activated driver assistance system is adapted for setting a distance to a motor vehicle in front, by exertion of pressure on an accelerator pedal; a control unit adapted for proportionally controlling fuel intake in relation to a decreasing distance to the motor vehicle in front; and a distance unit adapted for stopping the fuel intake when a predefined minimum distance is reached.

20. A computer product comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon program code that, when executed, carries out the acts of: receiving a manual override of an already activated driver assistance system, wherein the activated driver assistance system is adapted for setting a distance to a motor vehicle in front, by exertion of pressure on an accelerator pedal; controlling fuel intake proportionally to a decreasing distance to the motor vehicle in front; and stopping the fuel intake when a predefined minimum distance is reached with control commands which carry out the method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic flow diagram of a method for providing driver assistance in a motor vehicle in particularly dense and complex traffic conditions in the low speed range according to one aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0038] FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic flow diagram, a method for providing driver assistance in a motor vehicle in particularly dense and complex traffic conditions in the low speed range, comprising manually overriding 100 an already activated driver assistance method, wherein the activated driver assistance method is adapted for setting the distance to a motor vehicle in front, by exertion of pressure on an accelerator pedal; controlling 101 the fuel intake proportionally to the decreasing distance to the motor vehicle in front; and stopping 102 the fuel intake when a predefined minimum distance is reached.

[0039] The skilled person will hereby recognize that the steps can comprise further sub-steps, and in particular that the method steps can in each case be carried out iteratively and/or in a different order.

[0040] The method can provide further sub-steps, such as monitoring of the distance and braking.

[0041] In an alternative interpretation, the individual blocks of the method diagram can be understood as being structural units which provide the functionality of the corresponding method steps.