Patent ID: 8600606

Claim:
A safety system for use in a vehicle, the vehicle having a pivoting closure with a range of movement, the safety system comprising: a sensor configured to collect data associated with an object in a target zone at least partially surrounding the vehicle; a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to selectively operate in a first mode and a second mode based on a vehicle characteristic; and a door actuation device coupled to the processor and configured to control the range of movement of the pivoting closure, wherein the processor further configured to in the first mode, detect the object and generate a first warning based on a characteristic of the object; and in the second mode, detect the object, determine a collision threat between the object and the pivoting range of the closure, and generate a second warning based on the collision threat, wherein the processor, in the second mode, is configured to signal the door actuation device to inhibit the closure from opening with a resistance that is varied based on the collision threat.