Tail-gate simply refers to the back of the car that can open and close. An automatic tail-gate in the car will do the process of shutting and opening the tail-gate electronically.
This is deemed as a convenience feature. In most cars, usually this process will be done manually. One has to get down the car to open and close the tail-gate with the car key.
In advanced cars, the driver can press the button in his cabin to open and close the tailgate while sitting in his seat.
However, cars like the Mini Countryman have this fantastic feature in them where one just has to kick or wave under the lower part of the boot to make the boot door open automatically.
If your hands are full with luggage, it is the easiest way to load things inside.
Or, while driving if one finds out that the tailgate is left open accidentally, this automatic tail-gate feature turns out to be quite handy.
Advanced convenience features like the automated tail-gate are slowly but surely finding their way into more and more cars as manufacturers realise that customers are seeing its utility.
This sort of feature is mostly found in a lot of SUVs in India, where the need and requirement for hauling luggage counts for more.
The way the technology works is that there are sensors attached to the underside of the rear of the car, and it will only work when the car is stationary. So when the sensors detect movement that it has been developed to recognise, it sends a signal to the ECU, commanding the hatch to open.