U Drive Mobility wheelchair car shutdown

U Drive Mobility wheelchair car shutdown second anniversary June 26 2013-2015

After certifying 9 NZ designed and built Drive from Wheelchair cars, 2 years ago the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association (LVVTA) ordered U Drive Mobility (UDM) to close down their vehicle production, 5 months later deregistering all UDM vehicles with an official NZTA press release citing 3 suspected safety issues

1. The floor was too weak! LVVTA calculation of 300Kg (1/2 the required strength)
WRONG, Experts report proved floor @ 1400Kg (twice the required strength)
2. The glue was weak and could allow the floor to fall out!
WRONG! Experts report proved Epoxy bond requires minimum of 300 tonnes force to remove it by label calculation!
3. The rear suspension has excessive bump steer
WRONG! Suspension expert bumpsteer perfectly acceptable when measured correctly!

After a comprehensive NZTA commissioned qualified experts report put paid to the 3 suspected safety issues, UDM clients cars were eventually reregistered after 12 months under an owners exemption that left their uncertified $100,000 cars worthless, and UDM marginalized, unable to carry on manufacture at present in New Zealand.
Those responsible for the LVVTA engineering report that wrongfully deregistered the cars remain uncensured, and in fact promoted within the LVVTA system, with no apology or admission they got it so completely wrong!

During this 2 year period UDM can confirm that UDM cars successfully completed crash testing in Paris, June last year, and with cars already in European production, have completed accreditation for Full ECE/EU (United Nations standard) whole of vehicle approval for certification in September this year, the highest homologation standard available, and the first and only accreditation for a NZ designed and built vehicle ever, with automatic NZ entry as a world class vehicle.

The UDM experience leaves no confidence in the LVVTA, who remain unable to certify a domestic designed and built production car, instead relying on foreign certification. This situation requires a comprehensive independent enquiry into all of its associated operations of certification before more innovation and expertese is lost to New Zealand.

ENDS

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