Arizona Patent of the Month – January 2021

Many new vehicles now have sensors on them that informs the driver of objects in the vicinity of the car. Some have sensors that alert the driver of nearby cars to avoid accidents, and others have parking sensors and cameras to help you back into and out of parking spots. When parking, wheelchair accessible vehicles require more space than others to deploy ramps from either the side or the rear. So, Vantage Mobility International, LLC. has developed a proximity alert system for wheelchair accessible and mobility-assist vehicles to help ensure there is enough space for ramps to deploy and for wheelchairs to manoeuvre in and out of vehicles. 

The proximity alert system has a sensor, a control, and an annunciator system. While in a parked or stationary position, the control system will activate the sensors. The sensor system will then detect any object that’s in or near the area where the ramp extends. Then the annunciator system notifies the driver with an auditory and/or visual indication that the sensors have picked up on something. This lets the driver know that there is not enough room for the ramp, and to move the vehicle for better wheelchair accessibility. 

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