Driver training with joystick: Space Drive training on the roads of Austria

Driver training with the Space Drive digital driving and steering system is now available in Austria. The Powerdrive driving school near Graz (Styria) offers special training in cooperation with Paravan GmbH, thereby expanding the range of mobility options for people with physical disabilities. The cooperation was officially launched with the handover of a specially equipped driving school vehicle. The first customers have already started their training.

There is high demand for specialized driver training with the Space Drive System in Austria. The collaboration between Powerdrive and Paravan provides a qualified training center. "We have been receiving numerous inquiries from Austria for years. This makes it all the more important that we have now been able to realize this offering together with a qualified partner," explains Thomas Minde, responsible for the Austrian market at Paravan.

From the school desk back behind the wheel

The Powerdrive driving school has stood for practical and quality-oriented training for many years. Markus Matzinger has been a driving instructor in the family business since 2009 and, in addition to classic driver training, also manages the affiliated driver safety center. With Space Drive training, he is expanding the range of services specifically for people with physical disabilities.

Before starting, Matzinger completed intensive training on the Space Drive system at the Aichelau Mobility Park – and became a learner driver himself once again. For two days, he practiced using the various input devices and the active driving school unit.

"I was able to get to know the entire system in depth – from the two-way joystick to the mini steering wheel to the four-way joystick. With the four-way joystick, the entire vehicle is controlled and steered with one hand. That's a real challenge," says Matzinger, describing his first impressions. "You have to think much further ahead and empathize with the situation of the learner driver. That's exactly what makes the training so demanding."

The training concluded with a test drive at the German TÜV – a formal quality check before the start of training. "It is important to us to provide high-quality training. We want to really master the system so that we can pass it on responsibly."

Technology for individual mobility

The driving school vehicle provided is equipped with the digital, redundant Space Drive driving and steering system, which enables a vehicle to be driven without a mechanical connection between the steering unit and the steering gear. Depending on individual requirements, various input devices are available – from two-way and four-way joysticks to mini steering wheels and gas/brake sliders. Secondary functions such as turn signals, lights, and horns are operated via the Paravan Touch System or voice control. Barrier-free access is provided by a ramp, allowing wheelchair users to drive directly into the vehicle.

Training begins with a so-called observation drive. During this drive, the individual requirements of the learner driver are recorded and the necessary vehicle adjustments are determined. On this basis, the vehicle is prepared to fit the driver's needs perfectly.

Mobility as a step towards freedom

The cooperation provides people with physical disabilities in Austria with a qualified training center. Paravan sees this as an important step toward ensuring barrier-free mobility in the long term and plans to carry out further vehicle conversions in the Austrian market in the future.

"Mobility means independence and social autonomy," says Markus Matzinger. "These candidates deserve to be mobile and enjoy their freedom. If I can contribute to this, I am also giving something back."

Further information at: www.paravan.de/austria