A gesture access system for a motor vehicle, includes a radiation transmitter to emit radiation signals and a radiation receiver, an illumination device and/or an audio device, and a processor programmed to activate the illumination and/or audio device according to a first activation scheme in response to determining an object is within a sensing region of the radiation receiver, and in response to the object within the sensing region exhibiting a predefined gesture, to activate the illumination and/or audio according to a second activation scheme and control an actuator to unlock, lock, open or close an access closure of the motor vehicle.