Patent ID: 8174146

Claim:
A method of articulating a power, split tailgate system of a vehicle, wherein each of a upper tailgate door and a lower tailgate door are electrically movable between an open position and a closed position, a compartment cover dividing a storage area within the vehicle behind the upper and lower tailgate doors, the method comprising: displaying a plurality of door control sequences within a human machine interface (HMI) of the vehicle; determining user selection of a first door control sequence from the plurality of displayed door control sequences, the first door control sequence corresponding with a chauffer mode in which, when both of the upper and lower tailgate doors are in the closed position: i. the upper tailgate door is electrically moved no more than a portion of a distance required to move to the open position, the distance being sufficient for a top of the lower tailgate to clear a bottom of the upper tailgate and for the bottom of the upper tailgate door to remain below the compartment cover; and ii. the lower tailgate is electrically moved to the open position after the top of the lower tailgate is clear of the bottom of the upper tailgate; executing the first door control sequence upon receipt of the door control message.