Discovering BraunAbility
Erway first met BraunAbility's founder, Ralph Braun, at an industry conference. He admired that Braun drew from his own experience living with a disability to build a company that manufactured wheelchair accessible vehicles. Over the years, Erway drove several BraunAbility vehicles, but when the Chevrolet Traverse was released, he was eager to get behind the wheel.
“It wasn't a minivan. It's something different, and I was looking for a change from the typical minivans,” Erway said.
He enjoys many features of the vehicle, including the powered wheelchair ramp, the 360-degree cameras, and the mirror sensors that warn him of potential hazards, but his favorite feature is the heated steering wheel.
“When I push my manual wheelchair, and I have steel push rims, my hands get so cold in the winter. I can put my hands on the heated steering wheel to get them warmed up. All the technology in the vehicle makes it much nicer and so much easier for people with disabilities,” Erways said.
When he’s not working, he spends time taking care of day-to-day tasks like going to the grocery store or visiting local restaurants. On his outings, he finds that people with and without disabilities are intrigued by the vehicle's technology, especially the sliding door. Many people don’t expect to see an SUV with a sliding door and a wheelchair ramp.
“To see the powered door start to slide open, you've never seen it open that way before. As I drive to different places, I’ve had people stop and take pictures or video of it opening. It really catches some people's eyes,” he said.
Driving Possibilities for People with Disabilities
Erway enjoys showing off his vehicle to people. In fact, as part of his work, he often visits local rehabilitation hospitals, educating physical and occupational therapists about driving possibilities for people with disabilities.
He said, “I do presentations where I can take my vehicle and I can show it to all the therapists and let them know about accessible vehicles. Seeing the therapists' faces when they come out, watch the door open, and see the ramp come out is a joy.”
Erway has even sold friends on the vehicle. He recalled visiting a friend who is a paraplegic on his first trip after getting the SUV.
“The first place I went to was to go show a friend of mine. He was looking at going away from vehicle transfers, pulling his wheelchair in, but he was waiting for something like an SUV. I drove to his workplace and got him to come out to try it out. Now he's in the process of buying his own,” he said.
Erway’s advice for those looking into accessible vehicles is to visit a local BraunAbility dealer. Whether behind the wheel or riding as a passenger, Erway said accessible vehicles can improve independence and confidence. “Life is so much better when you're driving one of these vehicles. You'll feel better about yourself. It's a good-looking vehicle and you'll look good in it,” he said.
