Right now, the changes to vehicles are few and subtle, but more will come in a process that GM calls "Engineering to Accommodate," which GM engineer and Paragon team member Gary Talbot says is "applicable to mature drivers as well as those people with disabilities."
The new Oshawa-built Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo were designed with many of the features Paragon team members suggested, Ulrich says. "For example, the left-to-right turning motion of a dash-board mounted ignition switch is easier for those drivers with arthritis or wrist injury than is the motion needed to activate a steering column-mounted switch," he points out, "and yet, people without a disability don't even notice."
This does not mean that all vehicles will be transparently built around the needs of the maturing driver. "The Paragon Team's goal is to be able to meet the needs of people with disabilities without adversely affecting able-bodied consumers," says Ulrich.
On the other hand, Ulrich says, lots of consumers who don't actually need such changes -- yet -- should benefit from them. "Coincidentally, most of the accommodations that are necessary for mature drivers or people with disabilities, are desirable or transparent to non-disabled people. The type of accommodations we suggest are the right thing to do for all of our customers, and they also make good business sense."