[Mazda MX-30 EV] "Self-empowerment Driving Vehicle" that considers the ease of loading and driving wheelchairs

Inheriting the thoughts of Mazda's third president

It is not well known, but Mazda's first mini passenger car, the R360 Coupe, is packed with advanced mechanisms. Was. One example of this is the introduction of a 2-speed AT that uses a 3-element, 1-stage, 2-phase torque converter called Torque Drive ahead of the times. That is not all. In 1961, special specifications for physically handicapped people based on this 2-speed AT were set.

This was an epoch-making manual driving device that could freely adjust the speed with a single manual lever added to the steering wheel. Sixty years ago, Mazda developed a car designed for people with physical disabilities and started selling it because Mr. Tsuneji Matsuda, president of Mazda at the time, had a leg disability. We developed and launched a manual driving device with the desire to let all people with disabilities know the joy of driving, and to provide many people with the joy of riding a car.

Inheriting the passion of President Tsuneji Matsuda, we have developed the Self-Empowerment Driving Vehicle, a self-operated vehicle based on the MX-30 EV, using the latest technology. It is a car that people with lower limb disabilities who want to move freely on their own can enjoy driving. The MX-30 uses double-opening freestyle doors. Since there is no B-pillar and it opens wide, it is friendly to people with disabilities, and it is easy to install a child seat.

Adoption of a ring-type accelerator that has been increasing in Europe

Japanese self-operated welfare vehicles have a control grip installed at the position of the selector lever of the AT, and move this lever back and forth Many cars operate the accelerator and brake. Also, when changing the direction of the car, turn the turning knob attached to the right side of the steering wheel in the direction you want to go. On the other hand, Mazda's Self-empowerment Driving Vehicle is characterized by adopting a ring-type accelerator that has been increasing in Europe and the United States. An accelerator ring is added along the inner circumference of the steering wheel, and if you push it hard, the speed will increase. Loosening it slows it down.

The advantage is that the accelerator operation can be shared by the thumb and the ball of the foot that are not holding the steering wheel, and it is easy to achieve both steering operation and accelerator operation. The brake incorporates a manual brake system on the right side of the shift lever. Push the brake lever forward to apply the brakes and slow down. An elbow pad was also installed to enable delicate brake operation. This brake lever also incorporates a hazard switch and a shift up and shift down switch that adjusts the deceleration of the regenerative brake.

Environmentally and handicapped-friendly

I drove the MX-30 EV-based Self-Empowerment Driving Vehicle for a short time. You can operate the accelerator pedal by pressing the ignition switch while stepping on the foot brake with your right foot, just like a normal driving operation. When an able-bodied person drives a car, he or she will follow this procedure. Manual operation by a disabled person can be operated with the accelerator ring by pushing the lever of the manual brake and turning on the ignition switch. It is said to be the world's first car that can easily switch driving functions between able-bodied people and people with disabilities.

It is surprisingly difficult for people with lower limb disabilities to get into the driver's seat. Therefore, we added an access board next to the seat that can be put in and taken out with one action. Since there are places where you can put your hands and place your buttocks, the ease of putting your feet in when getting on and off has been greatly improved. Adding a function that automatically retracts the access board in conjunction with the opening and closing of the door would make it even more user-friendly.

It is easy to put a wheelchair on the back seat by taking advantage of the freestyle door. It doesn't have as much storage space as a London taxi with similar double doors. However, I felt that it was convenient to automatically open and close the rear door with the switch provided on the instrument panel and front door. Mazda also designs lightweight and compact wheelchairs. The price is likely to be high because carbon fiber and other materials are used extensively, but this is good news for people with physical disabilities.

You can change the direction of the car at will

Maybe because I drive only classic cars, I quickly got used to driving. At first, the accelerator operation that pushes the ring is confusing, but if you run a little, you can easily adjust the speed. What I thought was even better was being able to change the direction of the car at will. The turning knob called the AP lever, which is common in Japanese welfare vehicles, does not turn in the direction you want to go unless you turn it quite a bit. This weak point is eliminated, and the car turns without stress.

At first, I was careful about fine-tuning the brake lever. However, I got used to this in less than 5 minutes, and I can stop cleanly at the stop line. It took me a while to put it in the garage. It was surprisingly difficult to switch the gear shift lever behind the manual brake lever. It has some weak points, but when it hits the market, it should be refined and shine even brighter. As long as I'm happy about the birth of an EV that is friendly to people with handicaps. By experiencing the Self-empowerment Driving Vehicle, the appeal of the MX-30 has expanded greatly.