A bidirectional door opening structure includes a first door configured to be opened by rotating about a first end of a vehicle that is adjacent to a roof of the vehicle, a second door configured to be opened by rotating about a second end of the vehicle that is adjacent to the roof of the vehicle, the second end being opposite the first end, a drive unit disposed at a portion of the roof between the first door and the second door, and a controller configured to receive a door drive request with respect to the first door or the second door and to apply a driving force to at least one of the first door or the second door, wherein the drive unit comprises a spindle unit, a latching lever, and a rotation lever.

A garnish structure includes a garnish unit configured to be located on a surface of a lower door and to perform impact absorption and load support, wherein the garnish unit includes a first layer region configured to absorb energy, and a second layer region configured to withstand a collision. The garnish unit further includes a garnish panel forming an outer surface of the garnish unit, a first impact member formed inside the garnish panel, an absorbing member located in the first layer region, a spring member located inside the absorbing member, a second impact member formed inside the first impact member, and a damping spring located in the second layer region.

A tailgate assembly mounted along an open edge of a vehicle's load carrying bed includes a frame having a first or proximal lateral side adapted to be hingedly connected for opening in a swing open mode and a second or distal lateral side oppositely positioned relative to the first lateral side. The tailgate assembly further includes a reinforcement frame component overlaid onto the frame at the first lateral side to increase torsional stiffness at or near the first lateral side.

The twist axle assembly includes a pair of trailing arms that are spaced apart from one another in a first direction. The twist axle assembly also includes a twist beam, which has an open shaped cross-sectional shape, that extends in the first direction between a pair of opposing end portions. The open cross-sectional shape of the twist beam includes a base and a pair of side walls. The end portions of the twist beam are fixedly attached with the trailing arms. A pair of beam reinforcements are fixedly attached with the trailing arms and with the base of the twist beam. The beam reinforcements are fixedly attached with the twist beam through at least one of fasteners, adhesives, resistance spot welding, cold metal transfer welding, laser welding, and brazing.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle liftgate control for cargo management. An example vehicle includes a liftgate with a sensor on an inner surface and a processor. The liftgate provides access to a cargo area. The processor, when an object is in the cargo area, detect when the object is banked against the liftgate using measurements from the sensor, and when the object is banked and a command to open the liftgate is received, autonomously opens the liftgate to an intermediate position between fully open and fully closed.

An opening/closing body drive mechanism 1 comprises an opening/closing body 2 to move between an open position and a closed position; a drive unit 3 to drive the opening/closing body 2; a detecting unit 4 to detect the movement state of the opening/closing body 2; and a control unit 5 to control driving for the opening/closing body 2 based on an output of the detecting unit 4, wherein the control unit 5 carries out a feedback control to control the driving such that a physical value being detected with the detecting unit 4 is brought to be a target value; and in a case that the information from the detecting unit 4 differs from predetermined information according to the feedback control and a control value given to the drive unit 3 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, determines that information from the detecting unit 4 is abnormal.

A vehicle closure panel control assembly includes, among other things, a closure panel, an actuator system that can move the closure panel back and forth between an open position and a closed position, a positional sensor that senses a position of at least part of a user to detect a user gesture, and a control module that commands the actuator system to control movement of the closure panel. The commands from the control module to the actuator system are based at least partially on the user gesture.

A vehicle includes a liftgate system for mitigating a liftgate from contacting an object within a closing path of the liftgate. The liftgate system includes the liftgate, a camera, and a processor. The liftgate includes a surface facing an interior of the vehicle when the liftgate is closed. The camera is disposed on the surface. The processor detects, via the camera, an object within a closing path of the liftgate. The processors estimate a trajectory of the object when the object is in motion. The processor controls the liftgate based on the estimated trajectory and a speed setting at which the liftgate closes.

A liftgate seal is disclosed for a vehicle including a vehicle roof and a vehicle liftgate having a liftgate window pane, the liftgate seal includes a base wall, adapted to be secured to an interior surface of the window pane, and a channel structure including a first wall connected to the base wall and a second wall angled relative to the first wall. The second wall includes a distal end adapted to contact a rear edge of the vehicle roof when the vehicle liftgate is closed position thereby sealing a gap between the rear edge of the vehicle roof and the liftgate window pane.

An electromechanical biasing member for moving a closure panel between an open and a closed position relative to a motor vehicle body is provided. The electromechanical biasing member includes a housing having an inner cavity for housing an electric motor having a motor shaft and a rotary output member rotatable relative to the housing. An extension member within the housing and engageable with the rotary output member moves the closure panel between the open and closed positions in response to driving the electric motor. Also provided is a control unit positioned within the inner cavity and configured to drive the electric motor, the control unit including at least one controller board juxtaposed to the electric motor, and a plurality of control components mounted to the at least one controller board and configured to supply a drive signal to the electric motor and receive signals representative of operation of the electric motor.