System and method to detect trapped flexible material

A method to detect an occurrence of flexible material being trapped by a vehicle, the method comprising:

• after a first vehicle ingress/egress event, via a controller, activating a sensor to capture a reference image of a portion of a vehicle body;
• after a second vehicle ingress/egress event via the controller, activating the sensor to capture a test image of the portion of the vehicle body;
• determining, via the controller, whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image;
• and
• releasing a door of the vehicle or producing a notification or prevent vehicle movement or some combination thereof, via the controller, based on the determination of whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image.

A vehicle comprising:

• a body and a door adapted to releasably engage the body;
• a sensor positioned on the body and configured to capture an image of a location at which the body and door meet each other, when the door is releasably engaged with the body;
• a memory that is disposed onboard the vehicle and configured to comprise a program;
• a processor that is disposed onboard the vehicle and configured to execute the program, wherein the program enables the processor to:
• after a first vehicle ingress/egress event, activate the sensor to capture a reference image of the location at which the body and door meet;
• after a second vehicle ingress/egress event, activate the sensor to capture a test image of the location at which the body and door meet;
• determine whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image;
• and
• release the door from the body or produce a notification or prevent vehicle movement or some combination thereof, based on the determination of whether the test image includes one or more objects not found in the reference image.