The automobile, an elixir of life for elder people

The third part of life, wrongly titled retirement, offers positively more time and selfdetermination. Individual mobility is an essential prerequisite for using this gain in life. The third part of life has also disadvantages as the diminishing of physical forces and suppleness and reduced sensorial capacities. The automobile, if well designed, may compensate many of the deficiencies of age and by this wins an increasing importance for the quality of life of elder people. Elder drivers can safely operate a car, if their driving happens on a effector level, which has to be learned during younger years. Vehicle, road and traffic organisation have to be developed in such a way that they promote this form of driving. If by designing the cars the reduced capacities of elder people would be taken into consideration, elder people could fulfill much better all the handlings to be done when preparing the trip, when entering and leaving the car and when manoeuvering the car in tight surroundings. Adequate proposals are made.