GM, disability advocates and wheelchair manufacturers pitch universal docking securement (UDIG) for accessible AVs and multimodal trips

Industry and disability-advocacy partners told the National Council on Disability they are developing a standardized, automated wheelchair securement system to enable independent boarding and safe occupant restraint across multiple transportation modes, including future autonomous vehicles.

Kent Kiser, a public policy fellow at United Spinal Association, described Secure Ride as a stakeholder coalition that brought wheelchair manufacturers, accessibility advocates and vehicle makers together to create a repeatable securement approach. "Automated independent securement was the way to go," Kiser said, explaining the coalition’s decision to pursue a docking-style system that does not rely on manual strap tie-downs.

Bill Nixon, policy integration manager for global transportation technology at General Motors, explained that the coalition adapted the Universal Docking Integrated Geometry (UDIG) — a docking concept that locates two deployable posts on the wheelchair frame — and modified it so the attachment is deployable and minimally intrusive to daily wheelchair use. Nixon said the UDIG-based approach had been tested historically and that recent Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards have funded prototype work. Two companies received Phase 1 SBIR awards to develop the concept; Phase 2 commercialization proposals have reportedly been accepted and could provide up to $1 million over two years per award, though contracts were not finalized at the time of the meeting.

The Secure Ride presenters stressed cross‑mode applicability and practical design constraints. United Spinal and manufacturing partners focused on solutions that minimize weight and footprint on the wheelchair, preserve ground clearance for everyday mobility, and avoid permanently altering chair geometry. The coalition also emphasized the need for compatible vehicle anchors and for procurement practices that enable shared docking across buses, paratransit vehicles, robo‑taxis and aircraft.

"It can't weigh very much," Kent Kiser said of the attachment, noting that extra weight or added length can reduce maneuverability and prevent users of manual chairs from navigating thresholds or tight turns at home. The coalition also addressed crashworthiness and occupant restraint concerns: UDIG attaches near the wheelchair center of gravity to reduce rebound and to provide a consistent occupant position for belt routing.

Coalition members identified policy and payment barriers that must be addressed for broad deployment. They noted that Medicare reimbursement and private-insurer policies currently impede reimbursement for wheelchair hardware intended primarily for use outside the home; wheelchair manufacturers and suppliers cannot absorb widespread retrofit costs without insurance coverage or programmatic funding. The coalition urged federal, state and local policymakers to consider procurement standards and insurance policies that enable scalable adoption.

Secure Ride participants said they are building outreach to wheelchair users, standards bodies and procurement offices, and urged collaboration with DOT, FAA and standards organizations to test and adopt a modified UDIG specification. The coalition emphasized that universal securement would not only serve autonomous robo‑taxis but would also streamline transfers across paratransit, buses, trains and air travel.

The council heard the presentation as part of a broader set of panels on ground transportation; council members encouraged further work to secure funding, test cross‑mode interoperability and align insurance/Medicare policy to enable a deployable, reimbursable product.

Next steps described by coalition members include ongoing SBIR prototype testing, outreach to wheelchair users for education and buy-in, and engagement with standards committees (including RESNA) and vehicle upfitters to move toward a widely accepted specification.