Volkswagen Group of America Unveils Inclusive Mobility Initiative

Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA) rolled out the Inclusive Mobility Initiative to directly engage with disability groups to enhance vehicle technologies, user experience, and mobility services in autonomous and electric vehicles. The initiative focuses on safety, comfort, and convenience, especially for users without access to safe, reliable, independent, and affordable transportation.

Reliable transportation is a vital requirement in modern society. Especially for people suffering from various disabilities, the available options for safe transport can be minimal. VWGoA has decided to utilize the latest vehicle technology to design and engineer vehicles that are accessible and reliable in order to alleviate the difficulties faced by the disabled.

The car manufacturing company collaborated with numerous disability groups such as the National Federation of the Blind, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), and the National Association of the Deaf to conduct surveys and gather data to aid their initiative. The research and outreach efforts included interviews with experts and consumers on disabilities related to vision, hearing, cognition, and mobility.

VWGoA also hosted a summit to discuss the feasibility of installing wheelchairs in its upcoming autonomous and electric vehicles. Representatives from wheelchair manufacturers, providers, national disability organizations, and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute were present at the meet.

To reach the full potential of autonomous vehicles, the involvement of the disability groups is necessary for the research and development of the cars. VWGoA is the first automaker to have sought the help of disability groups to address the issues and challenges of design, safety, and development. Also, VWGoA reiterated the need for the creation of global safety standards for wheelchair integration in autonomous vehicles.

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