From Awards for Disabled Driving Innovations

A dealer’s showroom display demonstrates how one type of hand-operated brake and gas control system could be added to a vehicle.

The Adaptive Driving Alliance is looking for the newest adaptive vehicle innovations and is offering several monetary awards for ideas that improve the state of the art. Innovations can be in computers, miniaturization or other areas. The New Technology Award will be awarded by NMEDA (National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association) at their February 2008 conference. Deadline for submission is Oct. 1, 2007.

The goal of the award program is to showcase new technology and provide seed money and exposure for new ideas, helping new products make their way to the market faster. Technology must be related to the adaptation of a motor vehicle or a product that applies to the adaptation of a motor vehicle.

Adaptive Driving Alliance will donate $5,000 toward the award. Three finalists will receive $1,000 each to offset travel expenses to the NMEDA Conference in February 2008. NMEDA will provide the three finalists with registration to the conference as well as booth space adjoining the Adaptive Driving Alliance booth, so they can exhibit their new technology to industry dealers and manufacturers. The winner will be announced at the conference and receives a $2,000 grand prize.

Applications for the award can be obtained at www.nmeda.org/ADATechAwardEntryForm.pdf or by contacting NMEDA at 800-833-0427, or the Adaptive Driving Alliance at 877-853-1402.

NMEDA is located in Tampa, Florida.