Your next tailgate might be a barn door.
Chrysler’s Ram division has designed a unique pickup truck tailgate that’s split down the middle, and allows each half to either be flipped down or swung out.
Fan site Allpar.com came across the patent filing for the multi-functional tailgate, which allows for a number of configurations of opened and closed sections, controlled by a series of electronic touchpads.
The current Honda Ridgeline has a single-piece tailgate that can flip and swing, while the discontinued Ford Excursion SUV featured a barn door arrangement below a separate hatchback-style glass section.
Ram hasn’t acknowledged plans to put the multi-functional tailgate into production, but the company is known for pioneering innovative features, including its popular RamBox bedside compartments.
The Ram 1500 pickup is due for an update in 2015, and a full redesign in 2017, according to Chrysler’s five-year business plan, while its heavy duty pickups are scheduled for the same in 2016 and 2018.