A gesture recognition system for hands-free access to a vehicle includes a set of vehicle ultra-wideband (UWB) transceivers comprising at least three UWB transceivers and a controller configured to detect a presence of a vehicle-authorized mobile device in possession of an authorized user, determine a set of defined zones proximate to the vehicle and associated with hands-free vehicle access, communicate between the set of vehicle UWB transceivers and a device UWB transceiver of the mobile device to monitor a location of the mobile device, monitor a movement routine of the mobile device relative to the set of defined zones over a period, and in response to determining a match with one of a set of predefined movement routines associated with hands-free vehicle access, command one of a set of access actuators of the vehicle to grant hands-free vehicle access corresponding to the matched predefined movement routine.
