Method to monitor the overtaking

A method for controlling overtaking on a non-overtaking lane in which several vehicles driving in front of the controlled vehicle are detected and monitored and the driving lanes for the preceding vehicles are ascertained and on the basis of the respective ascertained lanes, speed and/or distances of the preceding vehicles to the control vehicle the speed of the controlled vehicle are adapted so that overtaking on the overtaking lane is allowed when the preceding vehicle travels on a non-overtaking lane and overtaking on a non-overtaking lane is normally not allowed when the preceding vehicle travels on an overtaking lane. It is determined whether the vehicle preceding on an overtaking lane is an individual vehicle or vehicle column and overtaking on the non-overtaking lane is prevented with a detected individual vehicle and with a detected column of vehicles, over taking on the non-overtaking lane is allowed depending on country-specific legal requirements and the speed of the controlled vehicle is regulated to a column overtaking speed (V0).