Patent attributes
An autonomous seat sanitizing system for a vehicle includes a vehicle seat sanitizing system control module configured to detect a person approaching a vehicle. Responsive to a person approaching the vehicle, a distance of the person from the vehicle is determined. The distance of the person from the vehicle is compared to a predetermined threshold distance. If the distance of the person from the vehicle is less than the predetermined threshold distance, the control module determines if at least one seat in the vehicle occupant compartment is unoccupied. If at least one seat is unoccupied, the module controls operation of the vehicle to direct a sanitizing ultraviolet (UV) light onto the unoccupied seat until a vehicle door is opened from an exterior of the vehicle, or until the distance of the person from the vehicle is no longer less than the predetermined threshold distance.