Autonomous vehicle passenger access systems and methods

AV passenger access systems and methods for providing access to an interior of a passenger pod or body of the AV that is otherwise connected to a power platform. As part of a passenger access operation, a surface of a slidable door of the passenger pod is brought into contact with a tire of the platform. The tire is then rotated by a motor, causing the door to slide or move between an opened position and a closed position. In some embodiments, one or more components of a suspension system of the AV is utilized to effect tire-to-door contact. In some embodiments, the passenger access systems and method of the present disclosure leverage safe exit architecture and strategies (and vice-versa), operating to move one or more of the slidable doors via wheel contact, but without unlocking the body from the platform.