Automatic lateral acceleration limiting and non threat target rejection

1. A method of controlling a vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system capable of controlling a vehicle speed and obtaining a vehicle lateral acceleration, said method comprising the steps of:

measuring a lateral acceleration from a lateral acceleration sensor;

detecting a change in a vehicle lateral acceleration based on a change in the measured lateral acceleration;

determining when the vehicle is in a turn based on the detected change in the vehicle lateral acceleration; and

if a vehicle is in a turn, reducing the vehicle speed according to the determination that the vehicle is in the turn and the detected change in the vehicle lateral acceleration.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining includes steps of

measuring the vehicle speed;

measuring a vehicle yaw rate; and

measuring a rate of change in the vehicle yaw rate.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of determining further includes a step of utilizing speed data corresponding to the vehicle speed, yaw rate data corresponding to the vehicle yaw rate, and yaw rate of change data corresponding to the race of change in the vehicle yaw rate.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of determining the vehicle's position within the turn.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of reducing the vehicle speed includes a step of reducing the speed if the vehicle lateral acceleration exceeds a predetermined limit.

6. A method of controlling a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

operating the vehicle in an adaptive cruise control mode such that the vehicle is traveling at a vehicle speed;

measuring a lateral acceleration from a lateral acceleration sensor;

detecting a change in a vehicle lateral acceleration based on a change in the measured lateral acceleration;

determining the vehicle path based on the detected change in the vehicle lateral acceleration;

monitoring for objects;

detecting a location of an object;

determining whether the location of an object is within the vehicle path; and

when the vehicle is determined to be in the turn, reducing the vehicle speed according to the determination that the vehicle is in the turn and the location of the object.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of determining whether the vehicle is in a turn includes steps of

measuring the vehicle speed;

measuring a vehicle yaw rate; and

measuring a change in the vehicle yaw rate.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising a step of determining the vehicle's position within the turn.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of reducing the vehicle speed includes a step of reducing the vehicle speed if the vehicle lateral acceleration exceeds a predetermined limit.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of detecting an object includes steps of:

measuring object range;

measuring object range rate, said object range rate corresponding to a rate that the distance between the vehicle and the object is changing;

measuring object angle; and

determining the radius of curvature of the vehicle's path.

11. The method claim of 10 wherein said step of monitoring includes a step of determining whether the detected object is in the vehicle's path.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of monitoring includes a step of verifying that the object is in the vehicles path.