This relates to a vehicle including a rear closure assembly having a liftgate and a tailgate. The liftgate and the tailgate are moveable by a common actuator. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes a liftgate moveable between a liftgate closed position and a liftgate open position to selectively cover and uncover a first portion of a rear opening in a body of the vehicle, a tailgate moveable between a tailgate closed position and a tailgate open position to selectively cover and uncover a second portion of the rear opening, and an actuator mechanically coupled to both the liftgate and the tailgate. The actuator is configured to move the liftgate between the liftgate closed position and the liftgate open position, and the actuator is configured to move the tailgate between the tailgate closed position and the tailgate open position.

A vehicle includes a body, an access aperture that is defined by the body, a closure panel, a load ramp, and a moisture sensor. The access aperture provides access to an interior of the vehicle. The closure panel selectively covers at least a portion of the access aperture. The closure panel is movable between an open position and a dosed position relative to the access aperture. The load ramp is deployably coupled to the closure panel. The load ramp includes a coupled end and a free end. The load ramp is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The moisture sensor is positioned proximate to the free end of the load ramp. Methods of controlling the vehicle are also disclosed.

A motor vehicle is provided with a luggage compartment opening arranged at the rear of a body of the motor vehicle, and a tailgate arranged pivotably on the body and in a closed position closes the luggage compartment opening and in an open position at least partially opens the luggage compartment opening. In order to provide a motor vehicle with a luggage compartment of variable size, the motor vehicle comprises a cover attached to a vehicle portion of the motor vehicle adjacent to the luggage compartment opening and/or defining the luggage compartment opening, and which is made of a flexible material and is configured and arranged such that, in the open position of the tailgate or by pivoting of the tailgate into the open position, it can be transferred from a compact rest state into an extended function state.

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.

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.

A system for opening and closing a closure of a vehicle, such as a door or a tailgate, is provided. The system includes a motor such as an electric motor which may be coupled to the closure via an output linkage, with the output linkage mechanically coupled to the closure and operable to move the closure between a closed position and an open position. The output linkage may include a driven pulley which may be coupled to the motor. The output linkage may include a driven pulley and a cable. The output linkage may include a leadscrew threadedly engaging a nut. A high-bandwidth MR clutch having a high dynamic response may selectively couple the motor with the closure to provide a haptic or tactile feedback to a user interacting with the closure as it is opened or closed.

A vehicle door opening/closing device including a drive mechanism for driving the opening/closing of a door of a vehicle; a first detector and second detector for detecting the distance to an item to be detected which is positioned in a first detection range outside the vehicle or a second detection range which is closer than the first detection range; and a controller for controlling the drive mechanism, based on the detection results of the detectors. The controller prepares for the opening/closing of the door by the drive mechanism, by having the first and second detectors detect that an item to be detected has moved from the start area which is an area that overlaps the first detection range, to a trigger area which is an area that overlaps the second detection range, in the range of operation at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the vehicle.

A motor vehicle has an automatically controllable rear-tailgate arrangement, which either is comprised of a single pivotable tailgate or a pivotable lower tailgate and a pivotable upper tailgate. An electronic control unit for the motorized control of the pivotable tailgates is associated with the rear-tailgate arrangement assembly. In particular, the control unit is designed to perform the following functionality by an appropriately programmed function module: the control unit evaluates information of a sensor unit for sensing the longitudinal tilt of the motor vehicle; after an opening command by an operating person, the control unit prevents complete opening either of the single rear tailgate or at least of the lower rear tailgate at least in the case of a rearward longitudinal tilt exceeding a defined threshold.

A ramp door and door frame include a rail kit that deploys automatically when the door is opened and collapses automatically when the door is closed. The door is supported by a cable mechanism when the door is opened. The cable mechanism causes an end rail to pivot up and away from the door when the door is opened and down and toward the door when the door is closed. The end rail cooperates with a door frame to deploy flexible side barriers when the door is opened and to collapse the side barriers when the door is closed.

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.