Universal Design Prize for Outdoor Vehicle SuperFour®
In order to be able to show off a vehicle anywhere, a first-rate design is essential. But of course one must also be able to get places in order to be seen. The SuperFour® meets both requirements like no other outdoor vehicle. It won the Universal Design Prize from the state of Lower Saxony. Yesterday (Friday, Mach 16, 2007), the Minister of Economic Affairs Walter Hirche awarded the prize to the manufacturer of the SuperFour®, Otto Bock HealthCare, at the CeBit IT trade show in Hanover.
The international medical technology company from Duderstadt has become a global market leader in the prosthetics field due to its innovative technologies. With the SuperFour®, the developers in the Mobility Solutions business area discarded all thoughts that contain the word “impossible.”
The SuperFour® has a hybrid engine. The steering and drive train for all four independent-suspension wheels respond to a joystick control system that is child's play to operate. The SuperFour® cannot be stopped – not even by the sandy ground in a golf course sand trap or on the beach. But there is one key feature that makes it the master of even the most challenging terrain: It can handle inclines of up to 40 percent.
Since the 200 kilometer range also permits excursions into remote natural areas, the SuperFour® recently caused quite a stir at the International Tourism Show in Berlin. A vehicle that performed convincingly during endurance tests in the Dolomite Alps and is eye catching in any pedestrian zone opens up new tourism perspectives. The SuperFour® creates a whole new dimension when it comes to freedom of movement – especially for people who are no longer able to get everywhere on foot because their mobility is limited.
For them, another standard feature is extremely useful: When driving downhill, the surface of the seat is automatically kept horizontal. Therefore even a person with a disability is not at risk of sliding underneath the safety belt. In order to meld this array of functionality into a cohesive, attractive overall image, Otto Bock included designers from the automotive industry in the concept study early in the design process, as witnessed by the halogen headlights and the elegant styling of the rearview mirrors.
Form follows function? “Form is function,” says company spokesperson Joachim F. Hamacher, who accepted the prize on behalf of Otto Bock. “By combining design and functionality into a single entity, the SuperFour® is a compact invitation for greater mobility and improved quality of life.” A driver’s license is not required for the maneuverable climbing expert. The speed is limited to 15 km/h.
