The prior art already discloses a multiplicity of different sensor systems for environment sensing. By way of example, these sensor systems can be used to recognize lane boundaries or to determine the distance from a vehicle ahead and hence a relative position for the vehicle ahead. A relative speed in relation to the vehicle ahead can also be determined by means of the known sensor systems. Similarly, it is already known practice to use wirelessly communicating vehicle-to-X communication systems to exchange information with surrounding vehicles or infrastructure devices. The vehicle-to-X messages sent by the vehicles usually comprise at least an absolute position, an absolute speed and a piece of information about the direction of travel.
In this context, DE 10 2006 050 214 A1, which is incorporated by reference, discloses a lane recognition method for assisting a driver in driving a vehicle. This first of all involves roadway edge recognition being performed, e.g. by means of infrared sensors, cameras and radar scanners. On the basis of the evaluation of the sensor signals according to features that represent the surface quality of the road and of the road edge, a change of lane is recognized. If it is now recognized that the vehicle leaves the lane without the indicator having been operated, a warning signal is sent to the driver. This warning signal may be visual, audible or haptic.
DE 41 33 882 A1, which is incorporated by reference, describes a method for automatically tracking a vehicle in a lane of a vehicle traveling ahead. In this case, the vehicle behind comprises an electronic camera that continuously produces image signals for significant rear areas of the guiding vehicle. Electronic image evaluation of the image signals likewise continuously ascertains the distance from the guiding vehicle and also the lateral offset of the guiding vehicle in relation to the longitudinal axis of the driver's own vehicle. This information in turn is used to calculate the steering angle that is required in order to follow the guiding vehicle. The calculated steering angle is set by a stepping motor connected to the steering shaft of the vehicle, without the need for the driver to intervene. Distance regulation is not described in DE 41 33 882 A1.
DE 10 2007 024 877 A1, which is incorporated by reference, discloses a method for forming and controlling a vehicle union. To this end, vehicle identification data from various vehicles are transmitted among said vehicles by means of vehicle-to-vehicle communication. A first vehicle then transmits an initiation message in order to initiate the formation of the vehicle union. Surrounding vehicles react to reception of the initiation message by sending an acceptance message or a rejection message. If a rejection message is sent, the sending vehicle does not join the union. If an acceptance message is sent, the first vehicle must then for its part confirm the inclusion in the vehicle union by sending a further acceptance message. If the first vehicle sends a rejection message, on the other hand, then the further vehicle is not included in the union. As soon as a union has been formed from two or more vehicles, the driving movements scheduled in future are coordinated by means of vehicle-to-vehicle communication. In this case, data from future scheduled driving movements by the first vehicle in the vehicle union are captured and transmitted to the further vehicles. On the basis of the received data, the further vehicles schedule an appropriate driving movement of their own.
A disadvantage of the methods known from the prior art is that the information available to a following vehicle does not just need to have a very high level of reliability on account of the high safety requirements in road traffic but also needs to be transmitted and then captured by a following vehicle with a very high level of reliability, without the prior art disclosing a solution to achieve this prerequisite, however. The absence of the information required for autonomous travel or the capture of incorrect information or the incorrect capture of correct information can lead to serious accidents. This high risk potential and the requirements arising therefrom for the reliability of such methods have meant that it has not been possible to date to realize autonomous following travel by one or more vehicles in public road traffic apart from during stringently monitored trial performance.