ENHANCED VEHICLE SECUREMENT SYSTEM

A vehicle system includes a controller to detect a key associated with the vehicle, detect if a driver door is ajar/removed, and initiate an automatic vehicle securement feature, if (i) user-requested, or (ii) a shifter is moved to Park and the driver door is ajar or removed, and engage a park pawl to thereby prevent the vehicle from driving away. The controller monitors a driver presence sensor, physically locks the shifter while the vehicle is in Park and keeps the park pawl engaged without regard to a requested non-park state from the shifter, if (i) the driver presence transitions to ‘not present’ or (ii) a key status indicates the key status transitions to ‘not present’. The controller requests a key search if the driver presence transitions to ‘present’, and disengages the park pawl in response to the requested non-park state when the requested key search indicates the key is ‘present’.