Autonomy and independence. Simple words, but with such profound meanings when it comes to the freedom to come and go. In a society where social exclusion of people with disabilities is prevalent, the adapted car proves to be an important symbol of empowerment with regard to mobility. Thesis defended in 2018 at Unicamp's Institute of Geosciences (IG) addresses the subject from the licensing process for people with disabilities and the tax exemption process for the purchase and adaptation of the car.
Adriana Silva Barbosa defended the thesis “Assistive technology and its users: adapted automobiles in Brazil”, under the guidance of professor Léa Maria Leme Strini Velho. The doctorate was developed between 2014 and 2018, at the IG's Department of Scientific and Technological Policy. The work addresses important points from the economic-social perspective, such as the concept of disability for users of assistive technology, coexistence with prejudices, the acquisition of automobiles by people with disabilities (PwD), technical modifications to vehicles to meet the needs of PwD, the difficulties in the licensing process, the gaps in Brazilian legislation, in addition to the adapted car market.
When Adriana entered the IG doctorate, her objective was to work with scientific and ethical production, but her supervisor invited her to develop her thesis in the area of Disability Studies in interface with the Social Studies of Science and Technology. “I loved the idea, as I have a physical disability. I had already studied this topic from other perspectives and, at the time, I was making efforts to learn how to drive an adapted car and obtain a special driver's license. So, I wanted to study what I was experiencing”, says Adriana. Léa Velho supported the choice of the research topic. In the meantime, in addition to learning to drive, Adriana found time to take care of her son, who at the time of her approval was only five months old.
Adriana collected and analyzed blog posts from people with disabilities. She also interviewed nine bloggers. Read the interview given to the Unicamp Portal below:
What were the results obtained in your research?
Adriana: My thesis was developed along three fronts of study. Firstly, I sought to understand what disability is in the perception of people with physical disabilities, as well as the meanings of disability in the social context. On the second front of study, I dealt with the relationship between assistive technology and technical-scientific, political and economic factors. On the third front, I dealt with the mutual reconfiguration of users with disabilities x assistive technology, which deals with the interrelationship between the needs of users with disabilities and the technologies offered by car adaptation manufacturers. It is in this third part that I address how drivers with disabilities deal with automotive adaptations to learn how to drive an adapted car.
People who drove before their disability, when reconfiguring their bodies to drive adapted cars, use their previous configurations as a starting point. Drivers who had a disability before the licensing process do not have a prior configuration and use assistive technology as a starting point, which constitutes a blind configuration. There are multiple reconfiguration possibilities for drivers with disabilities; but, for everyone, driving their own adapted car means freedom, autonomy and independence.
What conclusion did you reach?
Adriana: Regarding disability, I came to the conclusion that its concept must remain open, as disability is a complex, multifaceted and dynamic entity that is related to a multitude of factors. This means that the disability is not restricted to the body, nor to the environment. It is in relation to something or something, it is not static and each PwD has their own concept, which is related to their physical characteristics, experiences, socioeconomic and financial context. But we still have to live with family and social prejudices and fight against them. This means that we always need to prove that we are capable of making our own decisions and doing what we want. At this juncture, the adapted car is a symbol of empowerment, as it not only attests to our physical-cognitive capacity, but signifies autonomy, independence, the right to come and go. But it is clear that adapted cars alone do not solve our accessibility problems, whether due to the undue occupation of parking spaces for people with disabilities, or because most environments are not accessible.
In the research, it was also evident that, although it is constantly evolving, the qualification process for people with disabilities is still slow, laborious, bureaucratic and remains restricted, in most states, to the capitals. To give you an idea, I only managed to obtain my special driver's license in 2014 in São Paulo because in Bahia, my state of origin, the licensing process for people with disabilities only takes place in Salvador or through joint efforts. It is not possible to go through the Detran special examination board and take the practical test in the same task force, as between these two stages there are theoretical and practical classes at the driving school, etc. So, even participating in joint efforts, at least part of the process requires traveling to Salvador.
My research also showed that the original (factory) configuration of the vehicles interferes with the choice made by disabled drivers when purchasing a car, and that the design of the adaptations interferes with the comfort and drivability of disabled drivers. Hence, the importance of such adaptations meeting the needs of users with disabilities.
The research led me to several other important conclusions, but one of the most relevant things it shows is that, although the relationship established between the disabled driver and his car is different because it involves two more elements (the disability and the assistive technology automotive), this is no less efficient than that established between an able-bodied driver and his car. The disabled driver x assistive technology x car relationship is more complex, but just as efficient as the non-disabled driver x car relationship.
What was the methodology used?
Adriana: The data collection methodology was developed by me, under the guidance of professor Léa Velho, and tested in article “Urban Mobility for People with Disabilities in Brazil: A Study in Blogs”. Data analysis was carried out based on the theoretical framework I wrote for the thesis, on the theory of mutual user-technology reconfiguration, which is one of several theories of social construction of science and technology in the field of Social Studies of Science and Technology , and GroundedTheory.
Have there been any field activities or work with people who need this technology?
Adriana: There was fieldwork both in collecting blog posts and in interviews with bloggers with disabilities. The interviews were mostly conducted via Skype, but the interaction with them was very good.
How is the subject addressed in Brazilian legislation?
Adriana: My work started from the licensing process for people with disabilities and the process that follows it, which is tax exemption for the purchase and adaptation of the car. There is no single law that addresses each of these processes or both at the same time. All of this is dealt with sparsely in legislation, most of the time through decrees or resolutions and ordinances from Contran or Denatran. These processes need to be reduced bureaucracy and the tax exemption process (IOF/IPI, ICMS and IPVA) needs to be unified. These aspects were also addressed in the thesis.
How do you approach selling cars adapted for People with Disabilities (PwD)?
Adriana: I talk about this when I talk about the licensing and tax exemption processes for purchasing and adapting a car for people with disabilities and when I talk about the assistive technology market in Brazil. To give you an idea, the sale of tax-exempt cars has grown more than that of conventional cars. Despite this, the licensing process for people with disabilities remains restricted to capitals in most states. If the qualification process were more widespread and more accessible to PwD, growth would be even greater.
Unfortunately, the adapted car is not for everyone. Most PwD are unable to buy a car and adapt it, especially because adaptations are very expensive. But people with disabilities are a promising niche market. If we are offered the necessary conditions of health, education, accessibility, employment and income, we can be active people like any other. It is clear that the adapted car does not solve all the accessibility problems that exist in Brazil, but, in a society where social exclusion of people with disabilities still predominates (as is the case in Brazil), we have to act and fight for the right to go and come and for social inclusion on all fronts and the right to drive an adapted car is one of them.
How can the thesis help people who need assistive technology?
Adriana: The thesis can help people with disabilities when choosing, adapting and using assistive technology, especially automotive technology. Furthermore, it can help people with disabilities understand how the licensing and tax exemption processes for purchasing and adapting cars work, as well as contributing to the development of new automotive assistive technology devices and incremental innovations in existing ones.
Is there any other information that you consider important to disclose?
Adriana: I want to leave a message for people with disabilities and also for those without disabilities: we, people with disabilities, are capable of having an autonomous and independent life. Needing help is not a defect, as everyone needs help at least at some point in their lives. So, even if you have some level of dependence, don't stop fighting for your dreams, because you can make them come true. We, people with disabilities, can achieve our dreams and be happy as we are.
