INITIATIVE TO DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE SPECIAL ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN ORDER TO HELP DISABLED PEOPLE AND THE ELDERLY MOVE MORE EASILY ON THE CAMPUS OF NAM CAN THO UNIVERSITY

In Vietnam, people with disabilities and the elderly always face many barriers related to accessing transportation, public works as well as health care and other social services. Projects to increase opportunities and empower people with disabilities and the elderly in our country are increasingly developing and receiving attention with the goal of eliminating barriers to their integration. Thereby, it contributes to adjusting national-level policies related to people with disabilities and the elderly to enhance social integration as well as access to public works.

Currently, very few people with disabilities and the elderly go to school, go to work or participate in social activities due to many barriers, especially in using means of transportation. Most public transportation means such as motorbikes, buses, taxis, and coaches are not fully equipped for people with disabilities and the elderly to have easy access. Moreover, these means of transportation are not suitable for people with disabilities and older people because of the narrow door, the high chassis, and having no handrails of these vehicles… They do not have specialized means of transportation to travel.

From the above situations, stemming from practical difficulties and aiming to help people with disabilities and the elderly who are living, studying, and working at Nam Can Tho University be able to participate in daily social life activities, especially moving around campus to study and work in buildings on the large campus of Nam Can Tho University, the School Council, School Board and a team of lecturers and students majoring in Automotive Engineering Technology of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Nam Can Tho University have agreed on solutions to help people with disabilities and the elderly move easily, conveniently and effectively on the campus of Nam Can Tho University. Therefore, the initiative to design and produce a special electric vehicle to help people with disabilities and the elderly move more easily on campus has received significant attention. This project was initiated by a group of lecturers and students majoring in Automotive Engineering Technology from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering with the main goal of creating a safe, convenient and environmentally friendly means of transportation. This electric vehicle is designed to be compact, easy to control and has the ability to move flexibly on the school’s internal roads. A notable point of this electric vehicle is that it is equipped with an intelligent control system, helping users easily operate despite physical limitations. In addition, the electric vehicle also has a modern safety system including automatic braking and collision sensors, helping to reduce the risk of accidents during use. For the elderly, this electric vehicle is not only a means of transportation but also a tool to help them maintain independence and freedom of movement. For people with disabilities, it brings comfort and confidence when moving in a modern educational environment.

This initiative is not only a step forward in diversifying the School’s means of transportation, but also shows deep concern for the student community, especially those in need due to limited conditions in traveling. The design of this electric vehicle is also a testament to the creative spirit, ability to apply knowledge into practice and sense of social responsibility of students and lecturers at Nam Can Tho University. The initiative has also received a lot of positive feedbacks from the community and is an inspiration for other universities in supporting people with disabilities and the elderly. In the future, Nam Can Tho University plans to continue to develop, perfect this electric vehicle as well as deploy many other initiatives to improve the quality of life for all students and lecturers in the school. Especially after reviewing standards and regulations related to traffic to ensure that this initiative can be widely applied in life and help people with disabilities and the elderly have more opportunities and improve their position in life.

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