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Disabled man realizes dream of driving with converted pickup truck

A man with a devastating illness is mobile once again thanks to a heavily modified pick up truck. He hopes he can help others in his situation gain the freedom of mobility they need to lead a normal life. Chris Sauerbaum has a physical disability resulting from chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy, a form of muscular dystrophy where the sufferer's immune system attacks their nerves. Sauerbaum lost both of his legs and is bound to a wheelchair. After 11 years of trying, he finally has a vehicle that he can drive. "You might as well be driving a Lamborghini," Sauerbaum told the York Dispatch as the driver side door extended to a lift to accommodate Sauerbaum's wheelchair. "Everyone comes up and talks to you. You come out looking like a Transformer." It wasn't easy getting transportation that fit his needs. First he bought a Chrysler PT Cruiser, which wasn't large enough to handle the equipment needed to convert the car for a legless driver. In 2013, Sauerbaum and his wife Heather Sloat appealed to local businesses and friends for donations. They raised $10,000 and were able to put a downpayment on a GMC Sierra. The truck then underwent $91,000 worth of upgrades. It was completely outfitted for Sauerbaum, with a large lift to bring his wheel chair up to the driver's seat and joysticks doing the work of peddles and the steering wheel. New York's Office of Vocational Rehabilitation paid for the conversion. "Think of it as a big remote controlled car. An 8,000 pound R/C car," Sauerbaum told the Dispatch. After a week and a half of learning the controls, Sauerbaum was able to drive with confidence again. He will no long need to rely on his wife to get him two and from work, an 80-mile trip each day. Sauerbaum and Sloat hope to start a nonprofit called Drive for Independence that will assist other wheelchair-bound people with the costs of getting a converted vehicle that suits their needs. "It's just one piece of the puzzle to get people to work," Sloat told the Dispatch. Related Video: Weird Car News GMC Driving Ownership Truck Videos disabled ms

2024 GMC Sierra HD unveiled with new design and more powerful turbodiesel V8

The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado HD made its debut in September 2022, so it was only a matter of time before the GMC Sierra HD received a similar round of updates. Unveiled online, the truck gains a new-look design and a more powerful turbodiesel V8, among other changes. GMC developed the Sierra HD primarily for towing and hauling so the most significant changes are found under the hood. The available 6.6-liter turbodiesel Duramax V8 engine now develops 470 horsepower at 2,800 rpm and 975 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm, figures that represent increases of 25 and 65, respectively, over the 2023 model and that match the 2024 Silverado HD's. GMC notes it increased low-end torque by about 25% by fitting a new turbocharger. The V8 spins the rear or the four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.  On the gasoline side of the spectrum, the 6.6-liter V8's output stays flat at 401 horsepower and 464 pound-feet of torque. It's now bolted to a 10-speed automatic transmission, and replacing the 2023 truck's six-speed lets the engine run closer to its peak power for longer periods. Here again, rear-wheel-drive comes standard and a part-time four-wheel-drive system is available across the entire line-up. Properly equipped, the 2024 Sierra 2500 HD Crew Cab can tow up to 21,900 pounds. The standard 2500 HD's towing capacity checks in at 22,500 pounds (a 4,000-pound improvement), and the 3500 HD is capable of towing up to 36,000 pounds — that's nearly 13 Subaru BRZs. Buyers have a dizzying selection of trim levels and body styles to choose from. The range includes Regular, Extended, and Crew cabs as well as seven trim levels called Pro, SLE, SLT, AT4, AT4X, Denali, and Denali Ultimate, respectively. The AT4X variant will not be available at launch, and the Denali Ultimate is new for the 2024 model year. Additionally, 3500 HD models can be ordered with dual rear wheels. What the truck looks like depends on the trim level. Broadly speaking, designers drew a more angular front end with a new-look grille, sharper-looking lights, and a redesigned bumper. New wheels are part of the update as well; the 3500 HD dually gets 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, and 22-inch units are optional on single-rear-wheel trucks. Finally, the color palette grows with six optional shades called Titanium Rush Metallic, Sterling Metallic, Volcanic Red Tintcoat, Redwood Metallic, Meteorite Metallic, and Downpour Metallic, respectively.

GM doubles miles open to its Super Cruise technology

DETROIT — General Motors said on Wednesday owners of certain vehicles equipped with its Super Cruise assisted driving system will now be able to use it on 400,000 miles (643,740 km) of North American roads, doubling the current operating area as Tesla and other automakers race to deploy hands-free cruising technology. GM's Super Cruise system, like Tesla's Autopilot system, is a driver assistance system, and does not enable true autonomous driving. Spurred by Tesla's aggressive deployment of Autopilot, and Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk's promises of a more advanced "Full Self Driving" system, GM, Ford, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz are racing to deploy competing partial automation technology in major markets. At the same time, safety regulators are showing concern that drivers do not understand that Autopilot and similar systems are not designed to take over driving in every circumstance. The GM system's sensors and software allow a motorist to cruise with hands off the wheel on highways that have been mapped in detail. But the driver is expected to stay alert and ready to take over the car. GM uses technology to monitor the driver, and Super Cruise will sound alarms or slow the car to a stop if it detects that a driver is not responding. Starting later this year, GM plans to enable vehicles equipped with Super Cruise and the company's latest vehicle electronic system to operate hands-free on major, undivided highways in the United States and Canada, as well as additional miles of divided, interstate highways. Currently, Super Cruise operates only on interstate, divided highways. The expansion, enabled by wider digital mapping, will allow owners of properly equipped GM vehicles to cruise hands-free on stretches of Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway in the U.S. West or the Trans-Canada highway in Western Canada, GM said. Many of the new roads GM has mapped are in rural, heartland states where GM pickup trucks are popular. GM plans to offer Super Cruise as an option on its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra large pickups later this year. GM has said previously it intends to offer Super Cruise as an option on 22 models by the end of 2023. Depending on the model, Super Cruise costs $2,200 to $2,500 to add as an option. (Reporting by Joe White in Detroit; Editing by Matthew Lewis) Related video: Cadillac Chevrolet GM GMC Technology Super Cruise