Patent ID: 8882174

Claim:
An operating system for a vehicle having an automatically closing hatch, the operating system comprising: an operating switch operatively configured to generate an operating request signal for closing the automatically closing hatch when the operating switch is actuated; a programmable electronic controller operatively configured to receive the operating request signal; a light barrier device operatively configured to monitor an interior compartment of the vehicle, the light barrier device comprising at least one light-emitting actuator and at least one light-detecting sensor arranged in respective opposite lateral interior edges of the interior compartment of the vehicle, the light barrier device being coupled to the programmable electronic controller via; cabling, wherein the programmable electronic controller is programmed such that, when the operating request signal is received and the automatically closing hatch is open, a pivot command is output to initiate a closing of the automatically closing hatch only when a presence of an obstacle is not detected by the light barrier device, wherein the interior compartment of the vehicle is a luggage compartment, wherein when the operating request signal is received, activation of the light barrier device is deliberately delayed by a given period of time to allow a person to move away from the automatically closing hatch.