Method for cruise control and/or regulation of vehicle spacing

The method involves measuring the distance to a proceeding vehicle, providing at least two operating modes for activation in overlapping speed ranges. The future speed of a preceding vehicle is extrapolated using the host vehicle speed and measured distance and/or relative speed. A mode change request is passed to the driver if the extrapolated speed is outside the current mode's permitted range and current speed in permitted range for another mode. The method involves measuring the distance to a proceeding vehicle and providing at least two operating modes for distance regulation for activation in overlapping speed ranges. Changeover between modes is only possible by driver command, at least in one direction. The future speed (Vv) of the preceding vehicle is extrapolated using the speed (Ve) of the host vehicle and the measured distance and/or relative speed data. A changeover request is passed to the driver if the extrapolated speed is outside the permitted range for the current mode and the current speed is within a permitted range for another mode. An Independent claim is also included for a speed and distance regulation controller for motor vehicles.