Autonomy is the star of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

December 3rd is celebrated across the world as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, set up in 1981, international year of people with disabilities. The day’s objectives include: promoting a widespread, deeper knowledge of disability issues, supporting full inclusion of persons with disabilities in every aspect of life, removing every form of discrimination and violence, promoting awareness, stimulating research into solutions for the inclusion of disabled people in society.

Since 1993, December 3rd is also the “European Day of Persons with Disability”, following the will of the European Commission, in agreement with the United Nations.
In addition to promoting awareness of the issues linked with disability, the project highlights the advantages of an inclusive society that is accessible to everyone. Public administrations, civil society, academic institutions and the private sector are encouraged to collaborate with the organisations of persons with disabilities to organise events to celebrate this day.

For over twenty years, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has paid close attention to the issues of disabled people’s mobility, and enthusiastically joined the project. It did so with Autonomy – the programme that responds to the needs of customers with reduced mobility or sensory and intellectual capacity (or those of their carers) and enables them to use a vehicle to ensure their freedom of movement – and with Jeep, the FCA brand renowned across the world for its perfect SUVs, that are also 4-WD emotions and symbols of absolute freedom of movement.

Thanks to Autonomy, several young disabled persons were able to experience off-roading among the vineyards of the Langhe hills on board of Jeep vehicles. Today we posted on Jeep’s social pages and YouTube channel the “Jeep Off Road – Langhe 2016” video, which narrates this wonderful experience through the exciting comments of the youngsters.
The words of those who saw their lives change in an instant as a result of an accident, or those who had to radically change their habits following an illness, show the strong character of people who were able to face tragedy without losing their will to live: a different life, surely, but no less rewarding. As one of our featured young people said, there is a new awareness that “others have to adapt to you, as you are now disabled, but you have to be really smart and adapt to the others”.

Autonomy is close to every different disability and need for mobility. In addition to its full range of cars and commercial vehicles from the brands of the FCA Group (Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Jeep and Fiat Professional), the programme offers a number of services designed to solve the issues linked to driving a vehicle customised for drivers with disabilities. Furthermore, Autonomy customers can test their mobility with special simulators, familiarize with modified vehicles and get the opinion of doctors, physiotherapists and operators in the many mobility centres all over the country.

The “Jeep Off Road – Langhe 2016” video is available on Jeep’s YouTube channels
Jeep People: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnldfRP9K4E
Jeep Italia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmIdkHbFyPQ