A method for controlling the speed of a motor vehicle and the distance of a motor vehicle to at least one motor vehicle driving ahead includes the steps of: inputting a setpoint trailing distance to the motor vehicle driving ahead; determining, in accordance with at least one detector, at least the speed of the motor vehicle, the distance, and the speed relative to the motor vehicle driving ahead; decelerating or accelerating the motor vehicle in response to the detected distance deviating from the setpoint trailing distance; calculating, in response to the motor vehicle driving ahead being lost from the detection range of the detector (target loss), the speed of the motor vehicle driving ahead from the relative speed determined prior to losing the target; and calculating the actual distance from the driving speed of the motor vehicle. Thus, the speed of the motor vehicle driving ahead is derived from the measured values measured prior to the time of losing the target, and, in accordance with a differential time unit, the distance is extrapolated from the driven speed of the motor vehicle and the speed of the motor vehicle driving ahead.