System and method for opening and closing vehicle door

A system for opening and closing a door of a vehicle, the system comprising:

• an operator interface configured to generate, based on an operator's force exerted on the door, a signal indicative of either opening or closing the door;
• a sensor configured to detect whether an object is in a projected path of the door as the door moves from an original position to a first position to which the door is to be moved;
• a powered actuator configured to at least one of open and close the door;
• a controller in communication with the operator interface and configured to:
• receive the signal indicative of either opening or closing the door,
• determine whether the opening or closing will be performed by the operator or via the powered actuator based on the signal,
• generate, if the opening or closing will be performed by the powered actuator, a first control signal indicative of a first position to which the door is to be moved, and control the powered actuator to cause the door to move from the original position to the first position,
• wherein the controller is further configured to control the powered actuator, if the object is detected to be in the projected path of the door, to not move the door according to the projected path, and if no object is detected in the projected path, to move the door according to the projected path to the first position;
• and wherein the controller is further configured to:
• generate, if the opening or closing will be performed by the operator, a second control signal indicative of a second position to which the door will be moved;
• control, based on the second control signal, the powered actuator such that the door is moved from the original position to the second position;
• and
• allow the operator to move the door manually to a desired position.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform a method for opening and closing a door of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• generating a signal indicative of either opening or closing the door based on a force exerted on the door by an operator;
• receiving, via an operator interface, the signal indicative of either opening or closing the door;
• determining, via a controller, whether the opening or closing will be performed by the operator or via a powered actuator based on the signal;
• generating, via the controller, if the opening or closing will be performed by the powered actuator, a first control signal indicative of a first position to which the door is to be moved;
• controlling, based on the first control signal, the powered actuator to cause the door to move from an original position to the first position;
• detecting, via a sensor, whether an object is in a projected path of the door as the door moves from the original position to the first position;
• controlling, via the controller, the powered actuator, if the object is detected to be in the projected path of the door, to not move the door according to the projected path, and if no object is detected in the projected path, to move the door according to the projected path to the first position;
• generating, via the controller, if the opening or closing will be performed by the operator, a second control signal indicative of a second position to which the door will be moved;
• controlling, via the controller, based on the second control signal, the powered actuator to cause the door to move from the original position to the second position;
• and
• allowing the operator to move the door manually to a desired position.