A powered tailgate opening system having object collision protection is disclosed for reducing the risk of collision with an object during opening of the tailgate. The opening system has an object distance sensor to sense a distance to an object during movement of the tailgate and an opening angle sensor for sensing an angle of opening of the tailgate. A memory stores limit distance values which vary according to different angles of opening of the tailgate and a controller controls a tailgate movement drive mechanism according to a determination of whether a sensed distance at a sensed angle of opening is less than the stored limit distance value for that sensed angle of opening.