Arrow Electronics’ SAM Car Ranked Top Car Innovation of 2016
CENTENNIAL, Colo., March 28, 2017 /3BL Media/ – The Semi-autonomous Motorcar, or SAM Car, that Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: ARW) built for a former racecar driver paralyzed from the neck down, was named the best car innovation of 2016 by Business Insider.
Business Insider’s list of the 18 best car innovations of 2016 offered “a glimpse of how companies are working to radically change the car of the future.” According to the news site, Arrow’s SAM Car topped its list “because it has a direct impact on someone’s life and shows the vast potential of driverless tech.”
Arrow built the SAM Car for Sam Schmidt, who was paralyzed from the neck down during an IndyCar practice-lap crash in 2000. Schmidt is able to steer, accelerate and brake the Arrow-modified 2016 Corvette Z06 using only the motions of his head. Sensors mounted on an Arrow-designed high-tech headset that Schmidt wears connect to infrared cameras mounted on the dashboard and detect his head-tilt motions to steer. A sip-and-puff device that Smith breathes into enables him to accelerate and brake.
The objective of Arrow’s SAM Car project is to enable drivers with physical disabilities to experience the mobility and independence of driving again by leveraging the power of technology. All of the software and technology that Arrow developed for the car is open to the developer and engineering communities, and it has promising broader applications for independent living.
“We hope the Arrow SAM Car continues to inspire people to innovate and dream big,” said Joe Verrengia, Arrow’s global director of Corporate Social Responsibility. “It’s a great example of what can happen when the right people come together to push the boundaries of what’s possible with technology.”
The SAM Car project is a collaborative venture between Arrow Electronics, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, the nonprofit organization Conquer Paralysis Now and Paravan GmbH, a world leader in innovative automobile conversions for drivers with severe disabilities. For more information on the project, please visit http://arrow.com/SAM/ or keep up with SAM project developments on Twitter by following #ArrowDriven.
About Arrow Electronics
Arrow Electronics is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. Arrow serves as a supply channel partner for more than 125,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers and commercial customers through a global network of more than 465 locations serving over 90 countries. Learn more at fiveyearsout.com.
Media Contact
Meghan Macdonald
(303) 824-4589
mmacdonald@arrow.com
