Entry and egress system for a vehicle

A vehicle defining a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, and a vertical direction, the vehicle comprising:

• a body including a structural member;
• a passenger compartment defined within the body, the passenger compartment including a seat arranged adjacent to the structural member;
• a door adjacent to the seat;
• and
• an entry/egress system arranged adjacent to the seat for facilitating entry into and egress from the passenger compartment, the entry/egress system comprising:
• a housing mounted to the structural member;
• an actuator arranged at the housing, the actuator being connectable to a source of electrical power in the vehicle;
• a lift mechanism operatively connected to the actuator;
• a support member operatively connected to the lift mechanism;
• a transfer board coupled to the support member and having a support surface;
• and
• a control system operatively connected to the actuator,
• wherein the control system is operable to move the entry/egress system between a first configuration in which the support member is at a first vertical position and the support surface faces the lateral direction towards the door, a second configuration in which the support member is at a second vertical position and the support surface faces the vertical direction, a third configuration in which the support member is at a third vertical position and the support surface faces an oblique direction between the vertical and lateral directions, and a fourth configuration in which the support member is at the first vertical position and the support member faces the vertical direction, and
• wherein the first vertical position is lower than the second vertical position and the second vertical position is lower than the third vertical position.

A method of facilitating entry into and egress from a vehicle comprising a seat and a door adjacent to the seat and defining a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, and a vertical direction, the method comprising:

• detecting a user accessing the vehicle, the vehicle comprising an entry/egress system comprising a support member and a transfer board coupled to the support member, the transfer board having a support surface;
• and
• moving the entry/egress system between a first configuration in which the support member is at a first vertical position and the support surface faces the lateral direction towards the door, a second configuration in which the support member is at a second vertical position and the support surface faces the vertical direction, a third configuration in which the support member is at a third vertical position and the support surface faces an oblique direction between the vertical and lateral directions, and a fourth configuration in which the support member is at the first vertical position and the support member faces the vertical direction,
• wherein the first vertical position is lower than the second vertical position and the second vertical position is lower than the third vertical position.