Powered latch system for vehicle doors and control system therefor

A latch system for vehicle doors, the latch system comprising:

• a powered latch including a powered actuator that is configured to unlatch the powered latch;
• an interior unlatch input feature that can be actuated by a user to provide an unlatch request;
• a logic device;
• a first control module that is configured to utilize acceleration data to determine if a crash event has occurred;
• a second control module configured to detect other inputs on the vehicle;
• a controller;
• a first data network operatively interconnecting the second control module and the logic device;
• a second data network operatively connecting the logic device to the controller;
• one or more electrical conductors extending between the controller and the second control module;
• wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the first control module utilizing the logic device and the first and second data networks, and with the second control module utilizing the one or more electrical conductors extending between the controller and the second control module, and
• wherein the controller is configured to operate in a first operating mode under normal operating conditions, wherein a single actuation of the interior unlatch input feature may be sufficient to unlatch the powered latch in the first operating mode, and a second operating mode that is utilized when communications are at least partially interrupted, and in which the controller requires at least two discrete actuations of the interior unlatch input feature within a predefined time interval to unlatch the powered latch, and wherein the controller utilizes the first operating mode if the controller is able to communicate with at least one of the first and second control modules utilizing at least one of the first and second data networks and the electrical conductors, and wherein the controller utilizes the second operating mode if the controller is unable to communicate with the first and second control modules utilizing either the first and second data networks or the electrical conductors.