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.

This disclosure is directed to hinge assemblies for securing closure members to a vehicle body. Exemplary hinge assemblies may include icebreaker features for breaking through ice formations that can form on the closure members. The icebreaker features are configured to break through the ice formations as the closure members are moved.

A multi-way liftgate assembly providing a plurality of dividers dividing the rear cargo area of a passenger vehicle into a plurality of secure areas assessable from a plurality of panels forming a liftgate to provide controlled access to one or more of those compartments. The vehicle operator has secure control of which portions of the cargo area can be selectively accessed. The multi-way liftgate assembly provides multiple secure openings to the cargo area of a vehicle that typically has only one secure opening to the cargo area. The multi-way liftgate assembly provides on-demand open height adjustment.

An opening and closing body control apparatus for a vehicle includes an assist control portion detecting an operation of an opening and closing body configured to be provided at the vehicle, controlling voltage applied to a motor serving as a drive source, and applying a drive force to the opening and closing body in a direction in which the operation of the opening and closing body is assisted. The assist control portion applies an assist voltage and an offset voltage alternately to the motor to operate an assist control for applying the drive force to the opening and closing body, the assist voltage for rotating the motor at a rotation speed which corresponds to an operation speed of the opening and closing body, the offset voltage which is lower than the assist voltage.

The invention relates to an interfacing element (12) of a lock zone (14) of a door of a motor vehicle, and the interfacing element (12) comprises: a support (16) made of plastic material, intended to be attached to a lining (11) of the door, the lining (11) being made of plastic material; and a reinforcing plate (17) of the lock zone (14) onto which a lock is intended to be fastened, the plate (17) being integrated to the support (16) by overmolding. The support (16) is made of a material having a Young's modulus lower than that of the plastic material of the lining (11) of the door, and a coefficient of elongation at break greater than that of the plastic material of the lining (11) of the door. The invention further relates to a sub-assembly (10) of motor vehicle, comprising a lining (11) of tailgate and an interfacing element (12) according to the invention fastened onto an outer face (13) of the lining (11).

A tailgate guide bumper is to be installed between a tailgate that opens to a rear of a vehicle and a vehicle body of the vehicle to support the tailgate in a widthwise direction of the vehicle. The tailgate guide bumper includes a guide bumper member fastened to one side of the tailgate and a guide bumper supporting part configured to be in contact with the guide bumper member when the tailgate is closed to support load applied in a widthwise direction of the tailgate. The guide bumper member and the guide bumper supporting part are installed to be adjacent to a lamp installed at the rear of the vehicle.

This disclosure is directed to hinge assemblies for securing closure members to a vehicle body. Exemplary hinge assemblies may include icebreaker features for breaking through ice formations that can form on the closure members. The icebreaker features are configured to break through the ice formations as the closure members are moved.

A door structure that can provide a bearing force against a load inputted from a hinge in a desirable way. The door structure includes: a tailgate; and a hinge that pivotally supports the tailgate with respect to a vehicle body. The tailgate has: an inner panel having an attachment surface portion substantially parallel to a plane whose normal is in the direction in which a rotating shaft of the hinge extends; and a hinge attachment portion, which is formed on the attachment surface portion and is for attaching the hinge thereto. The tailgate is provided with a stiffener attached together with the hinge to the tailgate. The stiffener has a first surface portion formed along the attachment surface portion.

A multi-way liftgate assembly providing a plurality of dividers dividing the rear cargo area of a passenger vehicle into a plurality of secure areas assessable from a plurality of panels forming a liftgate to provide controlled access to one or more of those compartments. The vehicle operator has secure control of which portions of the cargo area can be selectively accessed. The multi-way liftgate assembly provides multiple secure openings to the cargo area of a vehicle that typically has only one secure opening to the cargo area.

This disclosure relates to an autonomous vehicle configurable for transportation of either passengers, cargo, or both. The various aspects of this disclosure, which include moveable seat assemblies, a door arrangement, and storage bins, among other things, provide the vehicle with increased functionality and versatility, leading to more efficient vehicle use.