Method of controlling a vehicle seating assembly

A method of controlling a vehicle seating assembly comprising the steps of:

• sensing a front seating assembly is unoccupied with an occupant sensor;
• detecting in a footwell behind the front seating assembly with a proximity sensor;
• sensing a rear door position with a door sensor;
• moving the front seating assembly forward when the front seating assembly is unoccupied, an object is in the footwell, and the rear door is in an open position;
• exiting the method of controlling a vehicle seating assembly upon determining that the seat control button has been actuated.

A vehicle comprising:

• a front seating assembly having an occupant sensor sensing occupancy and a proximity sensor sensing an object in a rearward footwell, the proximity sensor being positioned in rearward portion of a seatback of the front seating assembly;
• a rear seating assembly;
• a rear door sensor sensing opening of a rear door;
• and
• a controller activating an actuator to move the front seating assembly forward based on the sensed occupancy, a sensed object, the sensed door opening, and sensing the front seating assembly is rearward of a forward-most position.