Challenge
Driving, and thus having a driving licence and having access to an
appropriate motor vehicle, is an essential part of
life for all adult European citizens. (Aspirant) drivers may encounter
physical and/or cognitive limitations that give reason to drive only
certain types of vehicle and/or adapted vehicles.
This need might become apparent during the application for a first
driving licence, or after driving for some time
in case of changes in the health situation of the driver. In order to
assure mobility for (aspirant) drivers with
physical and/or cognitive limitations in all EU countries, it is
essential that properly adapted vehicles are made available at
reasonable prices. Adapted vehicles should give comparable safety to
the driver and the traffic, as "standard" vehicles
do for "non-impaired" drivers.
Principles
The CAPI initiative is build on several principles laid down in EU
directives:
- Because of a physical or cognitive disability, driving
might require certain types of vehicle and/or adapted vehicles
(2006/126/EC article 5.2)
- In each Member State motor vehicles must comply with
certain mandatory technical requirements; whereas such
requirements differ from one Member State to another and
consequently hinder trade within the EU (76/115/EC preambule)
- Drivers must at any moment have the knowledge, skills and
behaviour to have sufficient command of their
vehicle (2006/126/EC Annex II.II)
Starting point
At EU level, vehicles are subject to a stringent regime of automotive
directives to which all standard vehicles have to comply. Most
legislation for car-adaptation is at national level and
differs across the EU member states. Part of the car-adaptation
industry has worked hard and consciously to design
and manufacture products that fall within the national legislation(s),
and also comply to industry and/or
in-house standards for product performance and product liability. This
requires in-depth knowledge and qualified
personnel. Being aware of the importance of making car-adaptations
safe, and also realising that the expertise in
this field is relatively scarce, the leading caradaptation companies in
the EU decided to join efforts to make the existing
knowledge available by developing industry protocols for the adaptation
of vehicles for drivers with
physical and/or cognitive limitations. For the content of the
protocols, the CAPI initiative will draw upon existing
knowledge within the industry as well as available standards,
(national) best practise documents, (voluntary)
accreditation schemes around the world and the results of the QUAVADIS
project.
Goals
CAPI aims to make the existing knowledge on car-adaptation available by
development of:
- protocols with minimum standards for the performance of
car-adaptations
- criteria to judge the performance of a car-adaptation for a
specific customer
- (informative) test methods to check the performance criteria
- an accreditation system for delivering an adequate
end-product to the customer
Furthermore CAPI aims to stimulate implementation in all EU
countries by means of:
- creating of awareness of the mobility and safety rights of
(aspirant) drivers with limitations.
- making the protocols available throughout the EU
- making the EU vehicle inspection authorities and automotive
industry aware of the protocols
- workshops for information exchange amongst (national)
car-adaptation industry experts
CarAdaptation Support Website