BMW are working with eight hundred volunteers, ranging from the very thin to the clinically obese, to ascertain what difficulties the obese have, compared with those who are thin, when it comes to various manoeuvres within a car.

 Certain movements such as looking over the shoulder when reversing and getting in and out of a car can be far more challenging for someone who is overweight. It is not only BMW that is preparing for a future generation of very large motorists; Mercedes have strengthened their grab handles and Porsche is working on electrically powered steering wheels, that rise up to allow the larger driver more room to get in and out of the car.

Honda has increased the width of their seats by two inches over the past ten years or so, to accommodate the larger driver. The average British male weighed 12st 6lb in 1994; fifteen years later it was 13st 1lb. The average weight for women in 2009, was a very surprising 11st 1lb. Manufacturers are even looking at adapting the dashboards, with buttons that are further apart so that those with very wide fingers don’t have a problem selecting the right button.

 So why are they doing this? Isn’t it rather like going to the tailor and having your trousers let out rather than losing weight? Well perhaps but manufacturers want to be prepared and the last thing say BMW want is to lose an overweight potential customer because Mercedes or another manufacturer have wider seats or stronger grab handles.