Vehicle seat for a motor vehicle and method of positioning the same

A motor vehicle comprising:

• a propulsion system disposable in an active state for propelling the motor vehicle and generating a running signal in response to the motor vehicle being disposed in the active state;
• and
• a vehicle seat comprising:
• a seat bottom having a front end and a rear end;
• a seatback, with the rear end of the seat bottom positioned adjacent to the seatback, and with the seatback and the seat bottom being displaceable relative to one another;
• and
• a seat positioning system comprising:
• an actuator coupled to the seat bottom for displacing the seat bottom toward the seatback;
• a position sensor for generating a seat position signal indicative of a position of one of the seat bottom and the seatback relative to the other of the seat bottom and the seatback;
• and
• a controller electrically coupled to the position sensor and the actuator, with the controller configured to:
• compare the position to a position threshold in response to the controller receiving the seat position signal from the sensor;
• and
• generate an activation signal in response to the controller determining that the position is above the position threshold and the controller receiving the running signal from the propulsion system;
• wherein the actuator angularly displaces the seat bottom in response to the actuator receiving the activation signal from the controller;
• wherein the seat positioning system further includes a door condition sensor for generating a door closed signal in response to an associated vehicle door being disposed in a closed position;
• wherein the controller is electrically coupled to the door condition sensor and configured to generate the activation signal in further response to the controller receiving the door closed signal from the door condition sensor;
• and
• wherein the actuator angularly displaces the front end of the seat bottom upward from a floor pan and toward the seatback in response to the actuator receiving the activation signal.

A method for operating a vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, with the vehicle seat having a seatback and a seat bottom displaceable relative to one another, and the vehicle seat further including an actuator, a sensor, and a controller electrically coupled to the actuator and the sensor, the method comprising:

• displacing at least one of the seat bottom and the seatback along at least one of an angular direction and a linear direction;
• generating, using a position sensor, a seat position signal indicative of a position of one of the seat bottom and the seatback relative to the other of the seat bottom and the seatback;
• comparing, using the controller, the position to a position threshold in response to the controller receiving the seat position signal from the position sensor;
• generating, using the controller, an activation signal in response to determining that the position is above the position threshold;
• and
• angularly displacing, using the actuator, the seat bottom in response to the actuator receiving the activation signal from the controller;
• generating, using a door condition sensor of the seat positioning system, a door closed signal in response to an associated vehicle door being disposed in a closed position;
• generating, using the controller electrically coupled to the door condition sensor, the activation signal in further response to the controller receiving the door closed signal from the door condition sensor;
• and
• angularly displacing, using the actuator, a front end of the seat bottom upward from a floor pan and toward the seatback in response to the actuator receiving the activation signal.