By Disabled World - 2008-09-27
Find more articles like this in our UK Disability and Health category.
Navevo, a European technology company, has developed a BBNav device designed specifically to help drivers and passengers with disabilities find parking spaces.
The BB in BBNav means "Blue Badge", which is a Disabled Person's Parking Permit in the U.K. The parking permit is displayed upon parking a vehicle carrying a person whose mobility would be otherwise significantly impaired by age, illness, disability or infirmity. In the U.K., a "Blue Badge" allows partial or total exemption from charges or penalties associated with the parking of a motor vehicle used by a badge-holder, and shows entitlement to use of dedicated parking bays and off-street parking.
The BBNav device looks like, and functions like a GPS or vehicle satellite navigation system. The BBNav has a 4.3 inch touchscreen, NAVTEQ maps of the UK and Ireland, and hands free Bluetooth calling capabilities.
The BBNav can save time searching for a car parking space as you can easily search for a car parking bay and navigate directly to it.
The BBNav also specifies which type of Blue Badge parking is available.
Grade 1 parking is suitable for people with wheelchairs that are traveling independently.
Grade 2 is for people with wheelchairs travelling with assistance.
Grade 3 is for people with wheelchairs that can walk for limited distances.
BBNav’s mapping has been colour coded to show the rules that the local councils apply for Blue Badge holders, so users can easily identify whether they can park legally on yellow lines, pay & display or in residents’ bays.
Engadget says, "the system comes pre-loaded with information on more than 10,000 'Blue Badge' parking spaces and 3,500 disabled accessible car parks in 150 cities and towns in the UK, and a database of more than 20,000 points of interest that are easily accessible for people with disabilities."
Points of interest range from accessible accommodation to public toilets (including Radar toilets), as well as over 300 beaches with disabled access.
Features of the BBNav GPS System Include:
Blue Badge and Red Route on-street parking bays.
Over 60,000 Points of Interest (20,000+ Blue Badge)
Disabled-accessible car parks.
NAVTEQ street level mapping covering UK and Republic of Ireland.
7 digit postcode routing.
Safety Camera Alerts.
Local council Blue Badge parking concessions.
BBNav also provides route information for converted vehicles about any height restrictions above 2.2 meters.
The BBNav system is currently only available in the U.K., however it is sure to make an appearance in the U.S. and other countries in the future.
For further information about BBNav, please visit www.bbnav.co.uk
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