HOME 
 WHEELCHAIR 
 VANS FOR SALE 
 VEHICLE 
 PRODUCTS 
 HOME 
 PRODUCTS 
 TRUCK 
 ACCESSORIES 

 RENTALS 

RESOURCES 

 CONTACT 

Paravan HiTech Driving Controls



Roland Arnold, founder and managing director of PARAVAN GmbH, lost his father in a tragic accident when he was a young boy. Since then, he has felt the urge to help people in need. As an adult, he struggled to make a living from a small tyre business and earning a little extra operating a combine harvester. The turning point in his life came in 1997 in a dreary car park at a motorway service station. In the pouring rain, he helped an overburdened wife to lift her paraplegic husband into a car. This spontaneous action led to the birth of PARAVAN. His vision was to give back mobility and a zest for life to handicapped people. In a garage on his brother’s farm, he worked obsessively on innovative, individual vehicles for the disabled. The initial derision and scepticism that greeted his efforts were soon replaced by wide admiration and enthusiasism. Arnolds' commercial and social commitment was fired by typical Swabian industriousness and seemingly boundless creativity.  In 2003 he acquired his first patents.  

In 2005 PARAVAN GmbH was established. The ultra-modern 50,000 m² mobility park was built with his own money in Pfronstetten-Aichelau, Baden-Wurttemberg, a community with 270 inhabitants. Since 2009 PARAVAN has been the global market leader for customised vehicles for the disabled. Today we can rely on an active network covering experts in the fields of medicine, research, business and politics. We continue to learn from the experiences of our customers on an every day basis. We currently have 140 employees as well as branches and partners worldwide – even in Australia and New Zealand. But one thing has remained constant – the satisfaction that comes from being able to do something useful.


SpaceDrive by Paravan


 



Space Drive is a system that is unrivalled in the world - a real breakthrough.  It allows persons with low residual strength, a large girth, minimum movement and even those without limbs to safely drive a car.  With Space Drive you activate the brake, accelerator and steering wheel (and of course all the other functions) using driving aids controlled by microprocessors.  These transmit the signals in nanoseconds to two servo motors for the brake and accelerator and two others for the steering ("Drive by Wire").  We configure the single modules individually. We readjust the software and hardware on-site if your clinical picture changes.

Boulevard Van City & Home Mobility is the first dealer in WNY to offer to its customers this exciting new product for people with disabilities.  Our technicians attended a very extensive/intensive training program.


The 10 Space Drive Highlights

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS

All primary functions such as braking, accelerating and steering can be executed safely and conveniently using the acceleration/brake lever, joystick, bicycle-type steering and mini-steering wheel. The Check Control rolls the entire system into one for a perfect overview.

THE SPACE DRIVE® NERVE CENTER

The connection between the system and vehicle technology is controlled and monitored by the PARAVAN Interface network unit.  The CPU (electronic control unit) activates the servomotors in real-time.  The Bat Control functions as an independent auxiliary battery system.



CONTROL SYSTEMS

Gear Control with gear control unit and 4 buttons in a seperate housing to operate the automatic transmission system (parking, reverse, neutral, drive). Gate-Way control unit with touchpad for simple operation of all secondary functions.


SPACE DRIVE SERVOMOTORS

Servomotors execute all control commands:  Two translate braking and acceleration impulses from the controls into active accelration or braking; two steering servomotors convert minimal steering movements made with the controls (e.g. ministeering wheel, rotary steering or joystick) into active vehicle steering.  Fully redundant with sufficient power for virtually any type of vehicle.



A NEW DIMENSION TO DRIVE-BY-WIRE TECHNOLOGY

The safety concept is based on
active redundancy in all components including cable harnesses. Each of these pairs of servotors is controlled by a PARAVAN CPU equipped wtih several processors.  High-quality cable harnesses are used for direct triple (multichannel) transmission of signals for steering, braking and acceleration to the PARAVAN CPU. Every data transfer is continuously monitored and verified.  The new Space-Drive system is equipped with a wide range of controls which permit individual adjustment to any requirement of whatever nature, either in terms of technology or the needs of the wheelchair user.  The VFD dispaly, which is supplied as standard, has been completely redesigned and now features integrated LED backlighting in different colors.  In combination with the PARAVAN product range we recommend our 8" touchscreen.  The new display is insensitive to sunlight and also features GPS and Wi-Fi.




THE PARAVAN DRIVE-BY-WIRE SYSTEM: INPUT EQUIPMENT



JOYSTICK


Dual-Function and safe to use.  For two or four directional control.  Mechanically adjustable for dynamic and flexible variation.  Digital parameter settings via PC.


MINI STEERING WHEEL

At just 15cm, the handy, power adjusted alternative to a standard steering wheel.  Electronic/digital control, perfectly tailored and reliable.


ACCELERATION/BRAKING LEVER

Option to control power and direction, lightning-quick responsiveness, digital "slider" for acceleration and braking.

ROTATIONAL STEERING DEVICE

Digital steering using the wrist.  Reset force can be adjusted mechanically via a screw without replacing the spring.  Angle of rotation can be reduced.  High-quality finish with precision guide rails.
Please call us for our current wheelchair/handicap van inventory.


Copyright© All rights reserved Boulevard Van City LLC