Automatic closing doors system with obstruction detection

A method for controlling a door system of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a continuous opening formed between a first pillar coupled to a proximal end of a hinged door of the vehicle and a second pillar coupled to a sliding door assembly of a sliding door of the vehicle with the hinged door being in an open hinged position and the sliding door being in an open sliding position, the method comprising:

• determining a hinged door position and a sliding door position;
• receiving a door operation command;
• controlling a first actuator to adjust the hinged door to a closed hinged position;
• controlling a second actuator to hold the sliding door in a hold position as the sliding door approaches a partially open position as communicated by a sliding door position sensor;
• determining the hinged door is in the closed hinged position;
• controlling the second actuator to return the sliding door from the partially open position at the hold position to a closed sliding position;
• and
• detecting a sliding latch signal via a latch assembly sensor, wherein the sliding door is in the closed sliding position and an adjacent end of the sliding door couples to a distal end of the hinged door.

An automatic door system of a vehicle comprising a continuous opening formed between a first pillar and a second pillar of the vehicle and a hinged door coupled to the vehicle controlled by a first power actuator configured to selectively cover a first portion of the continuous opening, the automatic door system further comprising:

• a sliding door coupled to the vehicle configured to selectively enclose a second portion of the continuous opening, wherein a sliding position of the sliding door is controlled by a second power actuator;
• a latch assembly configured to engage a distal end of the hinged door with an adjacent end of the sliding door;
• a sliding door position sensor in connection with the second power actuator;
• a latch assembly sensor electrically coupled to the latch assembly configured to detect the distal end of the hinged door engaged with the adjacent end of the sliding door;
• a controller configured to:
• detect the hinged door is in a closed hinged position and the sliding door is in an open sliding position as communicated by the sliding door position sensor;
• in response to a door operation command, control the second power actuator to movably engage the sliding door along a track from the open sliding position to a closed sliding position, wherein the closed sliding position covers the second portion of the continuous opening;
• and
• detect a sliding latch signal via the latch assembly sensor, wherein the sliding door is in the closed sliding position and the adjacent end of the sliding door engages with the distal end of the hinged door.