Refrigerator and method for controlling same

A refrigerator comprising:

• a cabinet including a storage chamber;
• a door configured to open and close the storage chamber;
• a sensor configured to sense whether a user is within or out of a sensing distance;
• a door opening device configured to automatically open the door;
• and
• a control unit that is configured to determine a driving condition of the door opening device based on a sensing-on duration time of a sensing-on operation and that is configured to control driving of the door opening device,
• wherein the control unit is further configured to:
• based on determining that the user is within the sensing distance through the sensor, determine whether the sensing-on duration time is greater than or equal to a first preset time,
• based on the sensing-on duration time being greater than or equal to the first preset time, control a notification device to generate a sound to notify that the door is scheduled to be opened,
• based on the notification device generating the sound, determine whether a sensing-off operation is performed,
• based on determining that the sensing-off operation is performed within a second preset time after the sensing-on operation is performed, operate the door opening device to automatically open the door, and
• based on determining that the sensing-off operation is not performed within the second preset time, determine that the driving condition of the door opening device is not satisfied.