Device and Method for Closing a Flap of a Vehicle

A vehicle comprising:

• a passenger cabin;
• a vehicle flap;
• an opening and closing device to open and close the vehicle flap;
• a first sensor to contactlessly detect a target movement of a body part of a person in an immediate vicinity of the vehicle and to provide an activation signal indicating a desired opening or closing movement of the vehicle flap;
• a second sensor to detect movements of the vehicle and to generate a movement signal indicating a detected movement of the vehicle;
• and
• a control unit to receive the activation signal of the first sensor device and the movement signal of the second sensor device, and to actuate the opening and closing device;
• wherein the control unit actuates the opening and closing device for the desired closing of the vehicle flap when an activation signal of the first sensor has been received and the movement signal of the second sensor indicates a movement of the vehicle smaller than a predetermined movement threshold value
• wherein the first sensor has a detection range in which the first sensor can contactlessly detect a target movement of the body part of the person in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, and is mounted on the vehicle so the detection range of the first sensor extends at least partially to the outside of the vehicle.

A method for closing a vehicle flap of a vehicle including an opening and closing device to open and close the vehicle flap, a first sensor to contactlessly detect a target movement of a body part of a person in an immediate vicinity of the vehicle, and a second sensor to detect movements of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• detecting a target movement of the body part of the person in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle by the first sensor, the target movement indicating a desired closing of the vehicle flap;
• detecting a movement of the vehicle by the second sensor;
• and
• actuating the opening and closing device for closing the vehicle flap if the detected movement of the vehicle is smaller than a predetermined movement threshold value.