How Chevy Considers Accessibility With Its Vehicles
July 26th marked the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act being signed in 1990. Since then, individuals with disabilities have still faced adversity when it comes to their everyday lives. On its website, Chevy describes how it considers this when creating its vehicles.
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“By considering and valuing the needs of people with disabilities or those who care for someone with a disability, GM is giving people independence. That is the part that gets me excited!” says Kerri W., Infrastructure Delivery Manager at General Motors.
One way Chevy gives back to disabled individuals is through various incentives on its vehicles, including reimbursements on eligible adaptive equipment. Adjusting a vehicle to suit various needs can be expensive, so getting a fraction of that money back can go toward additional goods and services. Some of these add-on features in Chevy vehicles can include a ramp, power-folding and sliding seats to make entry easier, power liftgates, rear storage that can accommodate wheelchairs and walkers, and more.
Chevy also considers different kinds of disabilities, with regards to vision, cognitive, auditory, and speech needs. Modular fonts and screens, auditory alerts, and driver-assist features are some ways that can aid visually impaired people. Alerts, chimes, lighting, noise cancellation, and voice recognition are a handful of other features that can make a big difference for many people.
If you plan on installing any extra equipment on your vehicle, Chevy suggests contacting your local license accessibility equipment installer. The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) is a good place to start and is nationally accredited.
Ben never thought he’d be writing about cars for a living, but here he is, knowing more about the Kia Stinger than he’d care to admit. When he’s not devoting his time to researching engine specs and other oh-so-exciting car details, he can be found enjoying time with his wife and dogs. See more articles by Ben.