Foreign object detection systems and control logic for vehicle compartment closure assemblies

A motor vehicle comprising:

• a vehicle body defining an internal compartment with an access opening;
• a closure assembly movably mounted to the vehicle body to selectively transition along a path between a closed position and an open position to respectively cover and uncover the access opening of the internal compartment;
• an automated driving mechanism operable to automatically move the closure assembly between the closed and open positions in response to an electronic command signal;
• a gesture-sensitive sensor operable to detect objects moving within a supervision field proximate the closure assembly and output signals indicative thereof;
• and
• a programmable controller communicatively connected to the automated driving mechanism and the gesture-sensitive sensor, the controller being programmed to:
• receive an input command signal to move the closure assembly along the path from the open position to the closed position;
• receive signals from the gesture-sensitive sensor indicative of a location and a velocity of an object moving within the supervision field;
• and
• responsive to a determination that the object location is inside a protected zone within the supervision field or the object velocity is towards the protected zone, command the automated driving mechanism to:
• slow a speed of the closure assembly while moving along the path;
• if the object location is inside the protected zone after a calibrated period of time, stop the closure assembly;
• and
• if the object location is no longer inside the protected zone, increase the speed of the closure assembly to a default speed towards the closed position.

A non-transitory, computer readable medium storing instructions executable by an onboard vehicle controller of a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including a compartment and a closure assembly movable via an automated driving mechanism along a path between closed and open positions to respectively cover and uncover an opening to the compartment, the instructions causing the vehicle controller to perform steps comprising:

• determining whether the closure assembly is in the closed or open position;
• receiving an input command signal to move the closure assembly along the path to the other of the closed or open position;
• receiving, from a gesture-sensitive sensor, signals indicative of a location and a velocity of an object moving within a supervision field proximate the closure assembly;
• and
• responsive to a determination that the object location is inside a protected zone within the supervision field or the object velocity is towards the protected zone, commanding the automated driving mechanism to:
• slow a speed of the closure assembly while moving along the path;
• responsive to a determination that the object location is inside the protected zone after a calibrated period of time, stop the closure assembly;
• and
• responsive to a determination that the object location is no longer inside the protected zone, increase the speed of the closure assembly to a default speed.