VIRTUAL TETHERING FOR AUTONOMOUS CONVOY

A method in a vehicle, includes: providing, via an HMI, a request to be followed indication responsive to receipt of a request to be followed from a following vehicle; providing, via the HMI, a request to enter a tether operating mode; entering the tether operating mode and selecting a tether goal between the lead vehicle and the following vehicle; providing, via the HMI, a tether mode indication that indicates that the lead vehicle is in the tether operating mode; monitoring a headway between the lead vehicle and following vehicle; adjusting a preplanned trajectory calculated by a driver assistance system to facilitate the following vehicle obtaining and maintaining the tether goal; modifying driver assistance system operation based on a level at which the headway is greater than the tether goal; and generating control signals for vehicle actuators to control the lead vehicle to facilitate the following vehicle maintaining the tether goal.