BMW is one of the most sought-after car manufacturers in the world, with a reputation derived from prestige German engineering, who have launched some of the most legendary and iconic cars of all time.
However, many people have developed the idea that BMW only caters to businessmen and women throughout the country. Driving a car of our preference is a huge deal for all of us, as it allows us to maintain our independence and freedom to travel wherever and whenever we like. With this in mind, consider that more than one in five UK residents are registered as being disabled. That’s more than 11 million people who need Motability services. But the idea of Motability services doesn’t always conjure luxury vehicles to mind…does it?
Here, we’ll explore what you didn’t know about BMW, examining the various adaptations you can have made to make the car suitable for your needs.
Motability Scheme
You might not be aware, but BMW is part of the Motability scheme, which is a charity committed to helping those with disabilities get a car that can accommodate their needs in exchange for Motability Allowance. If you’re an avid BMW enthusiast, you’ll be pleased to know that with a one-off advanced payment, you can select from a range of BMWs and even have your own BMW 1 Series.
The lease includes a new BMW every three years and insurance, as well as servicing and maintenance, and accident and breakdown recovery. If you’re unable to drive yourself, you can have up to two nominated drivers who can be insured on your BMW, whether they be family, friends, or your carer.
You can make additional adaptations to your BMW at no extra cost. Over 50,000 Motability customers have adapted their cars to make their driving experience as comfortable and easy as possible, including hi-tech features. Although many cars participating in the Motability scheme already come with standard features including push button ignition, automatic transmission, height-adjustable seats, and parking sensors, there are additional bespoke additions focused around your needs.
Adaptations for Disabilities
Automatic Parking
There are numerous car accessories and adaptations you can integrate into your BMW to make it comfortable for you.
Parking sensors have been blown out of the water with automatic parking, a great addition to help remove the stress of parking in difficult and tricky spaces. This sort of advanced technology was typically available on high-end cars, however, is being extended to help those with limited mobility.
Parallel parking for example can be a very stressful maneuver — automatic parking is a nifty piece of technology that works by detecting a space that is big enough for your vehicle to fit into. Your car will notify you of this and give you instructions to reverse or accelerate very gently without holding onto the wheel, and the car guides itself into the space detected. This has completely innovated the driving experience, making parking much easier.
Hand-held Speed Control
If you find it difficult to accelerate or brake with your feet, you can regain motoring independence by having a hand control installed behind the steering wheel. This adaptation is particularly popular by pulling or pushing the lever to control your speed and comes in different variations to suit how you want to handle your BMW. The only compromise that must be made is that your car be automatic rather than manual to make driving a lot easier.
Similarly, foot pedals can be extended which brings them closer to your driving seat, preventing you from straining or not feeling in control.
Vehicle Accessibility
Accessibility adjustments can be made to help individual access as well as stowage requirements. This is particularly useful if you have a wheelchair or scooter that needs to be stored on your travels, as well as a car boost hoist to get it in the car or rooftop stowage unit.
If you need assistance getting into the vehicle, electric person hoists are useful for assisting in getting in and out of the BMW.
Whatever your needs are, additions can be made to suit your every need. If you want to find out more about BMW’s adaptations for disabilities, click here.
Sources
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/there-are-now-nearly-14-million-disabled-people-in_uk_5ac61b74e4b01f556d5658d4
https://www.bmw.co.uk/en/topics/buying/new-cars/motability.html
https://www.lookers.co.uk/bmw/motability/offers
https://www.motaclarity.co.uk/motability-adaptations
https://www.motability.co.uk/products/adaptations/adaptations-available/
https://specialisedvehicleoptions.squarespace.com/driving-adaptations-vehicles-disabled-motorists