I am wondering if there are any disabled (hand control) drivers out there looking at the new Skoda Superb MK4?

 

I currently own a 2020 Skoda MK3 2.0TSI L&K Estate and drive it on hand controls and have to say that I absolutely love this car!!!  The only thing that annoys me is that I can't close the boot from inside the cabin which when your in a wheelchair would be very useful.

 

My concern is the BIG change Skoda have made to both the new Superb and Kodiak by moving the gear selector to a stalk off the steering column.  The stalk sits on the same side that most disabled drivers have their accelerator/brake control.

 

So unless I have some genetic deformity and have grown 2 right arms, how can disabled drivers press the brake AND select a gear at the same time??? 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

I have written to Skoda UK about this and they have been absolutely useless with the following in one email reply:

 

"I understand that the latest modules do not cater to all drivers, and your feedback may be considered for the future of Škoda vehicles. You are welcome to discuss this with the Sales Team at your nearest Škoda Retailer as there are the Motability vehicles that could be considered. As you are aware these vehicles can come with optional builds or extras to suit your driving needs. 

While I cannot assure you that it could be done at this time for the latest versions of the Superb and the Kodiaq you have mentioned, however, this is something that may be looked at if requested.

I trust that the above information proves helpful. Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us using the details below."

 

So basically it would appear that Skoda are changing their direction with their vehicle platforms and interiors and have totally ignored the needs for their current (and future) disabled customers....

 

Looks like my current Superb is going to be my last Skoda!!! 😫

"So unless I have some genetic deformity and have grown 2 right arms, how can disabled drivers press the brake AND select a gear at the same time???"

 

 

If the vehicle had "autohold" on the handbrake would that not allow for that in an automatic?

 

 

Edited 22 August, 20241 yr by Stonekeeper

My current Mk3 has the automatic electronic parking brake, but in order to start the car or put the car into gear, one has to push and hold the foot brake - which in my case is to push my hand controls to apply the brake.  Currently I can also drive on hand controls and drop the vehicle down into Sports mode or can use the paddles to change gear and always flip the gear stick to turn it back to full auto mode.

 

With the gear lever gone and moved to the steering column, one can't push on the brake AND put into gear using the same hand at the same time.  As for other functions on the gear selector - well it looks like just forget it!!!

Even if Skoda had moved this new gear selector to the left hand side of the steering wheel rather than having it on the right would have made a huge difference.  It just seems that when the designers at Skoda came up with these ideas, they didn't even consider their disabled drivers at all and have produced a product that is far from, shall we say,  "disabled friendly" 🤦‍♂️

'Wireless control units now' and selectors. For the disabled.

 

As to Dealerships and doing Brake Assist, Steering assist adaptions etc that just need plugging in and changing, first you might get it done.

*Then the car goes back, get a Service and MOT a month or 2 before going to BCA, then back on sale and neverback to a factory setting.*

 

There are wonderful controls now for disabled and infirm drivers.

New ones i had never seen in last months Motability Magazine / Lifestyle.

 

Forget SKODA moving anything. A specialist converter will.    

 

The Motability Specialist (trained supposedly) in Dealerships have got more hopeless over the years and Skoda Dealerships ones likely as bad as any.

Arnold Clark Dealerships can have hopeless ones with any brand. 

Edited 22 August, 20241 yr by Ootohere

Lest we forget.

 

These are who the daft or hopeless replies from Skoda come from. 

8 minutes ago, Ootohere said:

There are wonderful controls now for disabled and infirm drivers.

New ones i had never seen in last months Motability Magazine / Lifestyle.

 

Forget SKODA moving anything. A specialist converter will.    

 

The Motability Specialistin Dealerships have got more hopeless over the years and Skoda Dealerships ones likely as bad as any.

Arnold Clark Dealerships can have hopeless ones with any brand. 

Thanks Ootohere and yes there are certainly some geniuses around who will hopefully find a solution, just a shame they don't work for Skoda or the Volkswagen Group!!! 🤣

 

I think this comes down to 2 areas:

 

1) The practicality of modifying a production vehicle so that disabled drivers can use it.

 

2) and this is probably the more important one and that is that Skoda / VAG should have thought about this as part of their design process BEFORE the vehicle went into production!!!  Not only should they have feedback user groups but they should also have disabled user groups to ensure that their vehicles are accessible.

 

Now I acknowledge that isn’t always possible when you have wheelchair users who can't transfer and often a WAV (wheelchair accessible vehicle) is the only solution, but there are many of us who are permanent wheelchair users who are capable of transferring into cars from our chairs and even lifting our chairs across our laps onto the front passenger seat.

Maybe these people can help?

 

https://www.group1auto.co.uk/skoda/motability-adaptations

1 hour ago, Stonekeeper said:

Maybe these people can help?

 

https://www.group1auto.co.uk/skoda/motability-adaptations

Thanks for that Stonekeeper...  My car is already looked after by Group 1 Skoda - I own my car privately, I.e. it's not part of the Motability scheme.

 

This change made by Skoda seems to have caught out the dealers with them saying "oh I hadn't thought of that... 🤦🏻‍♂️"

 

 

@Wheelchair_Wonder  Motabiliity are really trying to help out car manufacturers get the required number of EV,s on the road and Motabilities idea of Accessible Charging is a total joke, just as the Charger Companies, architects and installers.

They think dropped kerbs seem to work for what is needed and totally ignore the need for low screens, touch pads etc and overhead spring assisted cables and the likes.

Some places are better than others but trying to get a cable from it's holder to the cars charger port and plugged in be it a wheelchair user or many disabilities or even non disabled can be just too hard.

Front Charge Points on cars can suit many, but even that is not necessarily true for every EV driver or passenger.

Has anyone got a new Superb Mk4 with hand controls?

 

I'm thinking about ordering an estate but need hand controls and am wondering how it would work with the gear selector on the steering column and on the same side as the hand controls.

Hi Fatso, I've been wondering if anyone has got the new Mk4 Superb with hand controls yet due to Skoda moving the position of the gear lever up onto the right hand side of the steering column - the same place that most hand controls go.  It's the fact we have to push the brake pedal in order to start the car and put it in gear, but also we can currently use the gear stick to flip it across into "Manual mode" or quickly flick the stick towards us to put it in Sports mode whilst still having our right hand on our throttle/brake.  I just can't see how we are going to be able to do these things with the new layout?

 

I have written to Skoda directly about this seeing they have gone down this route with 2 of their models already and suspect remaining models will follow suit as they get replaced / updated.  Unfortunately Skoda weren't interested and just apologised that these 2 models don't fulfil my needs as a disabled customer....  I just haven't had the energy to fight this any further, especially as I'm not in a position to purchase a new car yet.  What frustrates me is that the Skoda Superb estate has the biggest boot space in it's class and when your a para-athlete in a wheelchair, with all my sports equipment, Triride and my assistant in the car, no other model even comes close....

I've currently got a Mk3 Estate on hand controls and absolutely love it!!!  The difference adaptive cruise control and traffic assist makes is amazing and significantly reduces hand control reliance...…

 

Speak to your local Skoda dealer and see what they have to say....  I'll be really interested to hear how you, or any other disabled owner, get on with this new interior layout.

You might as well speak to a drug dealer.

 

But at a Skoda / SEAT Dealership ask for their Motability Specialist, as in the trained sales executive and have them make some effort to get answers.

They really only want to push Enyaqs through the scheme though, and know as little about having them adapted for disabled drivers needing hand controls.

I know as i have spoken to several 'Motability Specialist' sales executives and now the training they have seems to be anything but 'Simply Clever'. 

I've had a look in a Mk4, and think pushing the hand control with my right hand and reaching through the steering wheel with my left hand to select D or R would be possible while stationary, I'm not so sure doing that while on the move to change between D and S would be advisable. 

 

I've had 3 automatic cars with manual override with 'flappy paddles' but gave up on using those as I couldn't reach the up paddle when I had the h/c pulled back for the throttle. 

 

As per my bio I had a Mk3 hatch ( not had it for 3 years though) and found it ideal for my usage which was mainly a 40 mile run on a dual carriageway and 5 miles in city rush hour traffic where the adaptive cruise and traffic assist made my life a lot easier. 

@Fatso Might be a tad tricky whilst your driving though!!! 😆🤣😆

I did sort of mention that.

 

I would only be selecting D while I was stationary, and I do tend to bring the car to a stop before I swap between D and R 😄.

 

Moving between D and S while on the move would be the tricky bit, but with a car like a Superb estate I'm not sure I'd be using S that often.

 

Would this system help?

That still leaves the hand control brake on the same side as the gear selector.

Hi @Stonekeeper

 

Thanks for putting that YouTube video up... A steering wheel ring is an option, but I would suggest that the majority of us drive on standard push/pull controls.  I did try a steering wheel ring once and just couldn't get on with it.

 

I've now actually seen the Mk4 and sat in it at my Skoda dealer and yep, it's definitely a problem that shows Skoda / VAG have made no consideration for their disabled customers which is greatly disappointing.

I understand that the ring may not be suitable for everyone.

 

With the RND/S selector process now being electronic. Maybe it is possible for an adaption company to come up with a way of moving that?

I have been driving my Mk4 Superb estate with hand controls for a few weeks now. As per my previous comments on this thread I can reach through the steering wheel whilst stationary to select D or R and have just got used to this set up. Doing a 3 point turn in a street not much wider than the Superb is long was a bit of a faff though.

My photo was the right way up before I posted it?

I have been driving a new MK4 estate with Jeff Gosling hand controls since October without any problems with the positioning of the gear selector. I had Merc's before that have a similar layout so maybe I have just got used to it. I cant even think what procedure I use, just do it automatically.