Actually, there are two types of assistants, one for the long-range opening and closing of the the doors or tailback lid, and one which pulls the lids or doors firmly into their locks. This added extra is available for the boot- or tailback lid in upper middle class vehicles. The advantage here, is that one does not have to to put the articles to be loaded down, to open the luggage compartment.

The assistant is well known in the sliding cabin doors of personnel transporters. In the shape of the Peugeot 1007, there are already cars whose driver- and front passenger doors open and close electrically. These are also laid out as sliding doors.

The door-activation occurs through a switch in the near vicinity of the drivers seat, by remote control or through a button under the tailgate, which is only accessible when the tailgate is open. It is even possible to achieve the opening with certain foot movements. Therefore you need not put down load before.

In addition there are one or two electric motors with gear on the hinge of the flap and one on its lock. One should not oversimplify the takeover of an activity which is relatively easy for humans to carry out. Thus, the lid, if there are no obstacles in the way, from the open position, closes enough for the special locking sensors to come into play.

So, at the same time, in all the areas where electric motors are installed, sensor technology is needed. If one, e.g., closes the lid/door by force, the electric motors are decoupled, this decoupling is however, after a certain period of inactivity, reversed.

Due to the fact that a tailgate has other functions as well, e.g., the rear window wash/wiping function, in the meantime, it is wothwhile it having a control device of its own which summarises all these functions. It is connected to the sensors/actuators of the locking assistant per CAN- or LIN-bus and communicates with the other control devices, particularly with those in the dashboard.

What's more, it is informed as to the driving speed, and of the gear lever position in automatic vehicles. Opening while driving, or if the gear lever is in the 'N' position, is thus, not possible. Whether driving with a slightly open boot lid is possible, must still be tried out.