An interlocking occupant step apparatus and method for a vehicle, includes a powered door, a powered occupant step, a kick sensor, and a controller having processing circuitry. While in an interlocking state, the processing circuitry detects a first gesture signal from the kick sensor, for example resulting from a kick, upon detection of the first gesture signal, controls operation of the powered occupant step to move the occupant step to an extended position, and controls operation of the powered door to move to an opened position. The processing circuitry detects a second gesture signal from the kick sensor, for example resulting from a lateral swing, the second gesture signal being for a second gesture different from the first gesture. Upon detection of the second gesture signal, the processing circuitry switches to a non-interlocking state.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle door assistance. An example vehicle includes a solenoid between a frame of the vehicle and a door, a restraint control module with an accelerometer to provide a roll angle and a pitch angle of the vehicle; and a body control unit. The body control unit determines a door adjustment force based on the roll and pitch angles and personal characteristics of an occupant, and when a door is moving, applies the door adjustment force with the solenoid.

An operation input device includes a substrate formed of an insulator, a plurality of detecting electrodes provided on a surface of the substrate, and a controller, wherein the controller detects capacitance generated between each of the detecting electrodes and an operation body when the operation body is positioned in proximity to the substrate, and determines that a gesture operation by the operation body is performed when a duration from when the capacitance becomes a first threshold or greater to when the capacitance becomes a second threshold or greater is a predetermined value or greater, or when a length in which the operation body is moved from when the capacitance becomes the first threshold or greater to when the capacitance becomes the second threshold or greater is a predetermined value or greater, the first threshold being a threshold for the capacitance, and the second threshold being greater than the first threshold.

A system includes: a door opening/closing switch which receives, from a user, a manipulation instruction for opening or closing the door; a door position sensor which detects a position of the door; a steering controller which measures a steering angle of the vehicle; a door controller which receives, from the door opening/closing switch, the manipulation signal for opening or closing the door, receives door position information from the door position sensor, receives steering angle information from the steering controller, and determines that the door and the wheel are in an interference state when the wheel is not in an aligned state in which the wheel is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, when the user attempts to open the door; and a warning device which warns the user of a situation when the door controller determines that the door and the wheel are in the interference state.

An exemplary access control device includes a locking member having a locked position and an unlocked position; an electronic actuator operably connected with the locking member; a switch connected between the electronic actuator and a power supply, the switch having a closed state in which the electronic actuator is connected to the power supply and is operable to maintain the locking member in the unlocked position, the switch having an open state in which the electronic actuator is disconnected from the power supply; and a manual actuator operable to transition the switch between the open state and the closed state.

A method for controlling a motor vehicle locking mechanism and to a motor vehicle locking mechanism, in particular a motor vehicle door lock, comprising a control unit, at least one electric drive that can be controlled by the control unit, and at least one illuminant that can be associated with the locking mechanism, the illuminant being controllable in accordance with a status of the locking mechanism and/or of a vehicle component accommodating the locking mechanism, said status being detectable by the control unit, the illuminant being integrated into a switching circuit of the electric drive.

An opening/closing body drive device includes: a motor for opening and closing an opening/closing body; and a control unit that controls driving of the motor. The control unit executes a pinch detection process in a section excluding a mask section that is set on an opening-direction side from the fully-closed position of the opening/closing body. The control unit sets the length of the mask section on the basis of the use history of the opening/closing body drive device.

A motor vehicle device includes a movable windowpane, which can be moved into a first end position, and an actuation mechanism having a touch-sensitive surface and by which a sliding movement of an operating element on the surface can be detected. The actuation mechanism cooperates with a drive of the windowpane in such a way that the windowpane is moved into the first end position when a sliding movement occurring at least in part in a predetermined first movement direction is detected.

A door operating apparatus for use with a door pivotably mounted to a door frame permits the door to swing in one of a manual operation and an automatic operation. The apparatus includes a housing, a first rotatable sprocket disposed in the housing and coupled to the door, a second rotatable sprocket disposed in the housing and connected to the first rotatable sprocket by a roller chain, the second sprocket having a top face with a protrusion, a drive assembly disposed in the housing and having a motor operably connected to a drive arm. A force applied to the door permits the first and second sprockets to rotate simultaneously to enable the door to swing open. Activation of the motor allows the drive arm to contact the protrusion and drive the second sprocket, thereby rotating the first and second sprockets simultaneously to enable the door to swing open.

An embodiment door control method for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a switch for opening or closing a door of the vehicle, includes receiving a first close input of the door of the vehicle from the switch, determining whether a keep-open mode of the door is in an ON state or an OFF state, wherein the keep-open mode is determined based on a user input, and controlling opening or closing of the door based on the ON state or the OFF state of the keep-open mode.