An animal enclosure safe door system may include a door which may be moved between an open position and a closed position via an actuator. A controller unit may operate the actuator to move the door between the open and closed position. The controller unit may comprise a sensor engine which may be configured to detect the presence of an obstruction object which may prevent the door from moving into the closed position. If an obstruction object is detected, the controller unit may stop and/or reverse the movement of the door. A method of an animal enclosure safe door system may include: motivating the door from an open position into the closed position; detecting the presence of an obstruction object in the path of the door to the closed position; stopping the movement of the door for a period of time; and motivating the door into the closed position.

A system for operating an automatically movable panel that forms a portion of an exterior of a vehicle, and provides access to an interior of the vehicle; a motivator connected to the panel and moving the panel through a range of motion; a proximity sensor; and a control module disposed within the motor vehicle, the control module having a processor configured to execute control logic, the motivator and the proximity sensor in electronic communication with the control module. The control logic including: determining a position of the panel; receiving a plurality of passive inputs; selectively utilizing the motivator to move the panel through the range of motion based on the passive inputs; utilizing the proximity sensor to selectively determine when to initiate movement of the movable panel through the range of motion with the motivator; and informing a motor vehicle occupant of movement of the panel via a human-machine interface.

A method includes predicting an environmental condition at a location to which a vehicle is travelling, the environmental condition including at least one of water, dust, and pollution, determining that an object within the vehicle is at a distance greater than a threshold distance from an unobstructed window of the vehicle, and then actuating the unobstructed window to a closed position based on the environmental condition and the object being at the distance from the window greater than the threshold distance.

A monitoring system and method are configured to detect a status of a door for a component on a vehicle. The monitoring system includes a sound sensor positioned within an auditory range of the door. The sound sensor detects sound energy generated in relation to a closed position of the door and an open position of the door. The sound sensor outputs a sound signal indicative of the sound energy. A monitoring control unit is in communication with the sound sensor. The monitoring control unit receives the sound signal and analyzes the sound signal to determine the status of the door.

A motor vehicle is disclosed having a safety system that includes an electronic controller controlling an electronically controlled mechanism in response to inputs from a number of rear parking sensors to prevent movement of a rear closure of the motor vehicle in a closing direction when more than one object is sensed to be within a rear protection zone and the rear closure member is in a fully open position.

A door ECU includes a non-detection field calculation unit calculating a non-detection field of an obstacle with reference to a location of a proximity sensor arranged in a vehicle, a travel path calculation unit calculating a travel path until the vehicle comes to a stopped state, a non-detection field movement path calculation unit calculating a movement path of the non-detection field associated with the travel path of the vehicle, a door opening operation path calculation unit calculating an opening operation path of the vehicle door when the vehicle is in the stopped state, and a door opening restriction calculation unit generating a control signal of a door check device in order to restrict the opening operation angle of the vehicle door if the vehicle door may operate to open beyond the movement path of the non-detection field.

An opening and closing body control device for a vehicle includes: a control unit configured to control an opening and closing body drive device driving an opening and closing body of a vehicle to open and close the opening and closing body based on an operation request; and a detection unit configured to detect an obstacle present around the opening and closing body based on a detection result of an obstacle sensor. The control unit sets an operation speed of the opening and closing body to a first speed when the obstacle is not detected during an operation of the opening and closing body, and sets the operation speed to a second speed or less and causes the opening and closing body to stop at a position where the opening and closing body is close to the obstacle, when the obstacle is detected during the operation.

An obstacle detection sensor system for a movable panel of a motor vehicle includes an obstacle detection sensor disposed on an articulating mount, the obstacle detection sensor and articulating mount being hidden from view by an exterior surface of the motor vehicle in a first position, and the articulating mount providing the obstacle detection sensor with a sensor detection range including an exterior surface of the movable panel in a second position. Movement of the articulating mount from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position is coupled to movement of the movable panel.

An open roof assembly is configured for providing a closable roof opening in a vehicle roof. Thereto, the open roof assembly comprises a closure member that is moveably arranged for opening and closing the roof opening and a detection system for detecting an object in the roof opening. The detection system is configured to provide an entrapment signal if a foreign object is detected in the roof opening, when the closure member is moving and a collision may occur. The detection system is further configured to provide an operating signal, when an object is detected performing a predefined action. Based on the operating signal a control unit may execute an associated function.

A method and apparatus that prevent a collision with a hitch accessory are provided. The method includes: detecting an input to open a gate or detecting a gate opening motion, determining whether hitch accessory is present in a path of the gate opening motion, and in response to determining that the hitch accessory is absent from the path, opening the gate.