Retractable illuminated running board

A method for identifying a location in a passenger compartment available for occupancy of a vehicle comprising a plurality of doors and a running board, the method comprising:

• detecting an occupancy of each of a plurality of seats in the vehicle;
• identifying at least one location in the passenger compartment of the vehicle available for seating in response to the detection of the occupancy;
• identifying an entry door of the plurality of doors of the vehicle, wherein the entry door is one of the plurality of doors corresponding to the location in the passenger compartment of the vehicle available for seating;
• and
• illuminating one of a plurality of lighting modules identifying the entry door, wherein the lighting modules are disposed in portions of the running board proximate to each of the plurality of doors, wherein the illumination of the one of the plurality of lighting modules provides a visual indication of the entry door providing access to the location available for seating and the light emitted from the plurality of lighting modules is output through a waveguide extending longitudinally along a side portion of the running board.