Current challenges
Many disabled people face challenges everyday with standard vehicles, from accessing the car and storing mobility aids, to using controls and feeling safe and independent. These issues are usually addressed through specialist aftermarket adaptations rather than being integrated into the initial design from the start.
This project looked to shift accessible vehicle design from a specialist adaptation challenge to a mainstream inclusive design opportunity.
Human centred approach
To understand how disabled people experience vehicles in everyday life, Designability carried out research with disabled drivers and passengers and translated their insights into practical, future-facing design ideas. These ideas are intended to help the automotive industry make vehicles more accessible from the outset.
This is particularly important as the sector moves towards electric, connected and increasingly digital vehicles. Without inclusive design, future vehicles risk creating new barriers or reproducing existing ones in different forms.
