Active safety technologies, simple access to OnStar services and more spacious vehicle interiors are just some of the approaches General Motors is taking to better serve aging motorists.
GM announced some of these initiatives to coincide with its sponsorship of the North American Conference on Elderly Mobility from May 11-14 in Detroit, Mich.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety points to several studies which have shown that higher levels of physical, cognitive or visual impairment among older drivers are associated with the increased risk of being involved in a crash. Many older drivers also take medication, which can impair driving ability at any age but can be especially problematic for an older person.
Technologies such as rearview back-up cameras, front park assist, rear park assist, side blind zone indicators, lane departure warning, forward collision alert, front automatic Braking and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are among the active safety and driver assistance technologies are all seen as solutions designed to help an aging population.
“The safety of all our customers is our utmost concern,” said Gay Kent, director, GM global vehicle safety and a presenter at the conference. “The great thing about many of our active safety technologies is that some, like the vibrating haptic seat, provide intuitive, non-visual cues to avoid startling the driver and prevent information overload or confusion.”
GM engineers and designers are also addressing passenger spaciousness and comfort. Focus areas include foot room and making it easier for passengers to get in and out of the vehicle.
Sitting in the back rows of a vehicle and swinging a foot through the open door can be a challenge for elderly people whose range of motion can be limited. To make it easier to enter and exit its crossovers and SUVs, GM designers optimized the spacing between the front seat and second and third rows.
“We have hosted many customer clinics to assess customer preference and requirements,” Kent said. “The information we gain through this research drives our teams’ design decisions as we work to incorporate their feedback. We have been able to increase the ease with which our customers enter and exit our seats over the last decade.”
Along with active safety and design modifications that provide benefit to all passengers including the aging population, GM’s OnStar technology provides elderly drivers the peace of mind they need while traveling. Services such as Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Roadside Assistance, Automatic Crash Response, Emergency Medical Dispatch and Remote Door Unlock, coupled with access to a live advisor at the touch of a button, can make all drivers feel more confident while on the road.
