A vehicle door control system is provided, and includes a body hinge member connected to the vehicle body, a door hinge member connected to the door, a brake and a control system. The brake includes a plate pack that includes a plurality of body brake plates connected to the body hinge member, and interleaved with a plurality of door brake plates connected to the door hinge member. The plate pack is positionable in a braking state in which the body brake plates and the door brake plates are frictionally engaged with one another to provide a first resistance to relative rotation therebetween so as to hold the vehicle door in a selected position, and a release state in which the body brake plates and the door brake plates provide a second resistance to relative rotation therebetween that is less than the first resistance.