Vehicle modifications in the past vs now for persons with limited mobility
posted on - 2025-02-24
Vehicle modifications of the past
If you’ve seen buses with hydraulic or pneumatic kneeling systems, where the platform of the entire bus lowers down, it could be that this kneeling system evolved from wheelchair modifications done for vehicles in the 70s, by inventors from Europe. Point being freedom to travel for a wheelchair bound person in cars. Rear suspensions of these cars lowered down at the push of a button and allowed using shorter length ramps in smaller European roads. How convenient!
But..
As you can see from the image below, the platform of the car is lowered considerably and also the roof height increased.
Automotive engineers in the past chose steel in a sheet metal form as the ideal build material for cars. Considering cost, easy to shape, re-service and how steel yields before failure….i.e. slowly.
That being said, it is difficult to advice on how safe it is to rework an automotive body after it passes out the factory floor.
We’ve hence been building solutions that do not compromise on the car’s structural integrity at #Caruna .
this is what a sheet metal crack on a car body looks like, although this image is from extra rusting
this is how sheet metal warped/bent from high temperature differences looks like
We suggest that you choose your vehicle modification types carefully. There are engineering factors involved as you see from above.
There are other methodologies of wheelchair accessibility in vehicles, without tampering the vehicle’s body or structure.
These are swivel seats + height adjustable wheelchair mechanisms.
Videos on the same:
