A Blind Man Drives Alone

Since July 2004, this is the challenge he has constantly been struggling to achieve : driving round a racetrack alone, at the wheel of a car.

And now thanks to the company “Société Induct”, Luc COSTERMANS has been able to conquer the circuit at Ledenon. Between April 27th and 30th 2009, he drove about a hundred times round the circuit, on board an ordinary civilian car.

This was the first time a blind person had ever driven a car alone on a racetrack.

Thanks to on-board technology ( a GPS Satellite Navigation system, a computer, a voice synthesizer and programmes specially developed by engineers), Luc managed to get his car up to a speed of 72 kilometres per hour on the straight stretches of the track.

It is also a whole new experience for this car-racing lover, who lost his sight in February 2004, and it was the first time in five years that he was able to take his wife and children for a drive as passengers. His two daughters were genuinely thrilled and delighted with the experience.

The next step for him will be to drive a racing car!

Maybe it will be on the mythical Spa-Francorchamps track in Belgium.

Keep posted…