Systems and methods for adjusting a relative distance between of a heel support panel and a pedal of a vehicle

A method for a vehicle, comprising:

• moving a seat of the vehicle in a forward direction toward a front of the vehicle;
• moving an elongated member relative to a heel support panel in response to the seat moving in the forward direction toward the front of the vehicle;
• automatically moving the heel support panel in an upward direction away from a floor panel of the vehicle in response to the elongated member moving relative thereto as the seat is moving toward the front of the vehicle and thereby reducing a first dimension between the heel support panel and a pedal of the vehicle;
• supporting the heel of a foot of a driver of the vehicle with the heel support panel while the driver is interacting with the pedal of the vehicle with the foot;
• moving the seat in a rearward direction toward a rear of the vehicle;
• moving the elongated member relative to the heel support panel in response to the seat moving in the rearward direction toward the rear of the vehicle;
• and
• automatically moving the heel support panel in a downward direction toward the floor panel in response to the elongated member moving relative thereto as the seat is moving toward the rear of the vehicle and thereby increasing the first dimension between the heel support panel and the pedal.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a seat;
• a seat adjustment system configured to move the seat in a forward direction towards the front of the vehicle and a rearward direction towards the rear of the vehicle;
• a heel box coupled to a floor panel of the vehicle and functionally coupled to the seat adjustment system, the heel box having a heel support panel configured to support a foot of a driver while the driver is interacting with a pedal of the vehicle with the foot, wherein the heel support panel is configured to move in a upward direction away from the floor panel and thereby reduce a first dimension between the heel support panel and the pedal as the seat is moved in the forward direction toward the front of the vehicle and the heel support panel is configured to move in a downward direction toward the floor panel and thereby increase the first dimension between the heel support panel and the pedal as the seat is moved in the rearward direction toward a rear of the vehicle;
• and
• an elongated member functionally coupling the heel box to the seat adjustment system, wherein the elongated member is configured to move relative to the heel box in response to the seat adjustment system moving the seat, wherein movement of the elongated member relative to the heel box causes the heel support panel to move in the upward and downward directions away from and toward the floor panel, respectively, as the seat is moved toward the front and the rear of the vehicle, respectively.