Daimler-Benz Ag

Mercedes-Benz Aktiengesellschaft

Erwin Wuchner

Walter Kostelezky

Thomas Forchert

Ulrich Heitmeyer

Gunter Knorzer

Ulrich Visel

Siegfried Loos

A method for detecting malfunctions in a motor vehicle, in which data words formed in subassemblies (sensors or components) upon detection of a malfunction therein are read by an analysis unit. The data words are also formed by the subassemblies when a malfunction detected by a peripheral subassembly is not traceable to said subassembly. Functional chains are determined in a device on the basis of the malfunctions detected by the subassemblies and represented by the corresponding data words. The functional chains contain all the sources of error related to the malfunctions. A list of test steps is drawn up in the device and stored at memory locations provided for this purpose. The test steps allow checking all the sources of error, and the functional chain is completely checked after execution of the test steps.

Method for detecting malfunctions in a motor vehicle

A method and apparatus for the control of the safety distance of a vehicle with respect to preceding objects wherein various measurements and controls are effected so as to provide control magnitudes for enabling prevention of a collision of the vehicle with an object. The various measurements and controls which may be effected include the determination whether a detected object lies within a maximum inference-free measuring distance from the vehicle, the changing of the pivot angle of an antenna of the vehicle and possibly also the opening angle of the transmitted beam independence on the steering wheel deflection and/or traverse acceleration of the vehicle, suppressing large extended objects by a separate measurement of the distance of the vehicle to the object and relative velocity of the vehicle with respect to the object by comparison of the measure change and distance with a calculated change in distance or the measured relative velocity with a calculated relative velocity, preferring an object recognized as a preceding vehicle among all objects, and combining in accordance with the maximum inference-free measuring distance values of at least one of the measured distance of the vehicle to the object, the measured relative velocity of the vehicle with respect to the object and the measured velocity of the vehicle to provide the control magnitudes.

Method and apparatus for the control of the safety distance of a vehicle

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Altbach, Germany

Erwin Wuchner