Families and Caregivers Benefit from GM's New Sit-N-Lift Seat
Getting disabled people into the passenger seat of a minivan is a problem for untold numbers of people, but General Motors of Canada is now selling a system that should make things a lot easier for them.
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| General Motors new easy to use Sit-N-Lift system is a welcome lift up into the passenger seat for disabled passengers. (Photo: General Motors) |
While the Sit-N-Lift seat is not inexpensive at $8,600, its design will also make the financial implications of using a minivan for transporting handicapped people less onerous.
In a breakthrough for the industry, GM's Sit-N-Lift seat will fit into many of the company's current minivans going back to 1997, as well as their "crossover sport-van" replacements coming late in 2004, and will not require any permanent changes to the vehicle.
This allows the owner to take the seat to another GM van and then return the first vehicle to its original condition, which should increase its resale value.
As a part of a new extended-length GM minivan (including Chevrolet Venture and Pontiac Montana), the Sit-N-Lift seat can be ordered as a regular production option and therefore be part of the general financing of the vehicle.
Traditionally, such equipment was ordered and paid for separately and that raised the monthly financial pressure.
According to Gary Talbot, who was the primary force behind the creation of the Sit-N-Lift, this also means the vehicle will "not look like a car for the handicapped," which is an important consideration for many people.
"It looks like a regular seat," Talbot points out, adding that the Sit-N-Lift can handle up to about 135 kg (which is approximately 300 lb), and the goal is to increase that limit in the future.