Benjamin, Jackson and Luca are the three newest electric BMW owners in Auckland, though none of them hold a driver licence and between them they total less than 12 years of age.
These three young drivers are the latest recipients of a modified electric vehicle, purpose-built to suit their needs, provided courtesy of BMW and GoBabyGo to help with their personal mobility and socialisation.
GoBabyGo is a charity that facilitates placement of vehicles with children who have restricted mobility. The charity also coordinates and implements the structural modifications to personalise each vehicle to a child’s specific requirements.
Designed to stimulate motor skills, the vehicles also enable children to interact with others in their peer group, empowering them to be part of the action at home and in the playground. There can also be important therapeutic benefits, for instance by using a headrest-mounted throttle to help a child learn to keep his or her head up.
The charity was established in America in 2006 and has just launched locally. BMW was quick to get on board.
To date, BMW has supplied 38 vehicles to Kiwi kids as part of the GoBabyGo pilot programme. The beauty with these vehicles is that they are tough and durable, and can be modified to fit new children as older drivers grow out of them.
