HUMAN FACTORS IN THE DESIGN OF PASSENGER CARS: AN EVALUATION STUDY OF MODELS PRODUCED IN 1957

RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED ON THE VARIATIONS OF CERTAIN BIOTECHNICAL RELATIONSHIPS IN PASSENGER CARS WHICH ARE THOUGHT TO BE IMPORTANT TO THE VEHICLE OPERATOR POPULATION. SAFETY AND COMFORT IN THE OPERATION OF VEHICLES DEPENDS IN PART ON THE INTEGRATION OF MAN-MACHINE-HIGHWAY ELEMENTS. THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF MACHINES DEPENDENT ON HUMAN PERCEPTION AND RESPONSE DEPENDS IN TURN ON THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE MACHINE HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO TAKE HUMAN PHYSIOLOGICAL, STRUCTURAL, AND FUNCTIONAL FACTORS INTO CONSIDERATION. A COMPARISON STUDY OF 21 PASSENGER CARS COVERS THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS: COMPARATIVE WINDSHIELD AREAS CLEANED BY WIPERS, DEPTH OF FRONT AND BACK SEATS, BREADTH OF REAR AND FRONT SEATS, HEIGHT OF FRONT AND REAR SEAT BACK, BREADTH OF FRONT AND REAR SEAT BACK, HEIGHT OF FRONT AND BACK SEAT ABOVE FLOOR, AMOUNT FRONT SEAT IS DEPRESSED BY A 165-POUND MANIKIN, RANGE OF VERTICAL SEAT ADJUSTMENT, DISTANCE OF FRONT AND BACK SEAT BOTTOM TO CEILING, RANGE OF FORE-AND-AFT ADJUSTABILITY OF FRONT SEAT, DISTANCE BETWEEN INSTRUMENT PANEL AND FRONT SEAT BACK, HORIZONTAL DISTANCE FROM LOWER EDGE OF STEERING WHEEL TO SEAT BACK, DISTANCE FROM TOP TO BRAKE PEDAL TO LOWER EDGE OF STEERING WHEEL, LEAST DISTANCE BETWEEN STEERING WHEEL AND LEFT DOOR, DISTANCE FROM STEERING WHEEL MAXIMUM OUTER DIAMETER TO HAND- OPERATED PARKING BRAKE IN OFF POSITION, DISTANCE FROM RIGHT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL TO RADIO CONTROL NEAREST OPERATOR, VERTICAL DISTANCE FROM LOWER EDGE OF STEERING WHEEL TO FLOOR, ANGLE OF STEERING WHEEL, AND DISTANCE FROM LOWER EDGE OF STEERING WHEEL TO SEAT PAN.

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbproceedings/39/39-035.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 39, pp 565-582, 34 TAB, 7 REF, 1 APP. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • McFarland, R A
  • DOMEY, R G
• Publication Date: 1960

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the Thirty-Ninth Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board, Washington, D.C., January 11-15, 1960
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Proceedings
  • Volume: 39
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Brakes; Comfort; Design; Human factors; Instrument panels; Physiological aspects; Safety; Seats; Spacing; Steering wheels; Windshield wipers; Windshields
• Old TRIS Terms: Wipers
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223540
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 29 1971 12:00AM